Hillary, Trump...And Jesus

While cleaning my basement a while back,  I found a real treasure: an old cigar box filled with political campaign buttons.  As I opened the box, varied campaign slogans appeared:  “Re-elect the President”; “Back Mac”; “The Grin Will Win”.

As I handled those buttons, I thought of the current political turmoil, and mused:   “what campaign button (if any) would Jesus wear; would Jesus be politically active and involved?”

Standing before Pilate in Matthew 18, Pilate quizzes Jesus regarding political activity.  ‘Are you King of the Jews’, Pilate inquires; Jesus is responsive but savvy:  “Are you interested, or did someone ‘set you up’?  “No’, Pilate snorts, “this is no ‘set up’’ ‘In that case’, Jesus notes, ‘lets talk:  the ‘politics’ I represent, is not of this world;  if it were, my followers would clobber the Jews, and set me free.’  ‘That’s immaterial’, Pilate responds.  ‘You’re still a politician!!’ ‘Well, sort of”, Jesus replies, ‘sort of…but a politician, of a different stripe.”  (John 18:28-37, paraphrased).

What is Jesus talking about; what is this politics of a different stripe?    In my reading of scripture, it's a counter-cultural way of engaging issues, not based on a secular nation-state (Kingdom), but the Kingdom of God.  

A first 'plank' in God's political platform is: ‘the third way is the best way’.  In large measure, two options currently dominate American political opinion:  left-wing liberalism and right-wing conservatism; they are variations, such libertarianism and 'the green party,' but culture is largely bifurcated between liberalism and conservatism.  The politics of Jesus, however, offers a third option; live between the polarities, 'picking' the best of both.

Jesus models this approach.  For example, regarding capital punishment--Jesus is a liberal: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).  But regarding steamy, seductive movies, Jesus is a conservative:  “You have heard …it…said, ‘Do not commit adultery’.  But I tell you… anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart”. (Matthew 5:27+28).

For me, this approach is refreshing: rather than becoming ‘prisoner’ to one point of view—be it liberal or conservative--I can live life from multiple points of view.  In my experience, such perspective is advantageous, as it allows me to consider all facets, of a particular issue before ‘jumping to conclusions.’   Years ago, I asked Mennonite evangelist Myron Augsburger a prime reason for his advancement as an evangelist, theologian, and educator.  "It was because I choose to live in more than one world.  So many of us who hail from the Shenandoah Valley,  only reflect the Valley perspective  But I have traveled all over the world,  so I also 'live' in the midst of learnings from a wide range of places."   So too for us:  as Christ-followers we need to live in the midst of learnings gathered widely, not narrowly, in recognition that no single ideology or nation state has a monopoly on Jesus.

Continuing with the God's politics, another ‘plank’ in God’s platform:  ‘marginalized people are priority people’; any discussion of ‘godly politics’ is incomplete, without a discussion of preferential treatment toward those lacking power, resources, and justice.   Jesus implies this in Luke 4:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me [to do what?]: to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” (Luke 4:18, NRSV)  Whatever politics we espouse, must be a politics that gives priority attention to those most in need.  A while back Lucy Pearson wrote an essay that reduced the world to a village of 100 people.  If such a village existed: 80 of the 100 would live in sub-standard housing. 70 of the 100 – would be unable to read. 50 of the 100 would suffer from malnutrition.  And 6 of the 100 would have half of all the money.  And of those 6 -- all -- would be citizens of the United States of America.  Such stats are not meant to induce ‘a guilt trip’, but they are meant to launch ‘a generosity trip' toward the least, lost and lonely.   

But political reform, even humanitarian reform, must never overshadow spiritual reform:  life change, in and through Jesus.  Thus a final 'plank' in God's platform: 'saving souls, saves society’.

There's a favorite story regarding a father, desperate to distract his son.  Tearing out a picture of the world from a magazine, he cut it into small pieces, corresponding to various counties.  Giving the pieces to the boy, the father suggested he put them back together, like a puzzle; surely the father thought, this exercise will take hours!  In no time flat, however, the boy completed the assignment.  “How, in heaven’s name”, the father began, “did you complete the puzzle so fast!!”  “Oh, that’s simple”, the boy replied.  “On the reverse side was the picture of a man;  I just put the man together, and the world, fit right into place.  Political activity contributes to reconciliation; but the ultimate way we heal the world is by healing humanity through Jesus.  “All this is from God”,  Paul declares, “who reconciled us…through Christ and gave us  the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NRSV).  Bottom line:  until persons  learn  tunes of forgiveness and melodies of grace, little harmony comes to this planet.

Bonnie Hoy was a gifted musician; in  the prime of life, however, she contracted a deadly disease.  As her illness progressed, Bonnie often stood at her bedroom window,  staring into pre-dawn darkness; in doing so, she listened to the song of the mockingbird.  As a musician, she decided to sing back; specifically, she whistled the first four notes of Beethoven’s ‘Fifth Symphony’.  Almost instantly, the mockingbird learned the notes, singing back to Bonnie in perfect pitch.  Over time Bonnie’s condition deteriorated;  in fact, she was sick unto death.  But in the midst of such need, the mockingbird was ever present, singing back the notes.  And then Bonnie died.  Shortly after her death, a friend reflected on her life; after listing multiple achievements, she concluded with this statement:  “And just think! Somewhere out there, in this big, big world, a mockingbird sings Beethoven, because of Bonnie Hoy!”

Will someone sing a new song, because of  you?  Political chants are OK; patriotic marches laudable.  But until persons learn tunes of forgiveness and melodies of grace,  all is lost.

Join me in ‘making such music.'   For ultimately, the politics of God is the politics of  transformation -- in and through Jesus -- who is King of all Kings - and -- Lord of all Lords.