I receive monthly updates from a missionary friend in Africa. The country he & his wife serve in is actually closed to "religious missionaries" so they work under the cover of being teachers & counselors. His most recent writing had to do with the United States' election of Barack Obama as President. I cannot simply post his email because of the sensitivity of where he works and the trouble it could get him in but I did want to forward some of his words and pass on the heart of his message. I thought his international perspective was great and some of his words were very convicting to the typical evangelical Christian response to politics and our country's choosing of President-Elect Obama.
He stated that they have received such exuberant greetings lately, like the ones they once received when first married, only because they are Americans. Previously they would wince a bit when having to answer where they were from; the people they are bringing Jesus to on a daily basis have an entirely different view of America than we do. Many are now more accepting of the Americans simply because of who we have elected. If you've never had the chance to travel outside of the country this may be mysterious to you and even infuriating, stirring up all sorts of quick rebuttals and judgments. If that is your response then the words I quote below may be for you.
"World leaders come and go, invincible kingdoms fall, and unsuspecting nations rise. Politics are argued, and peoples are treated with care, morality, and dignity, where just a country away, peoples are persecuted and murdered. As impassioned as we as Christians can become with the situation within our borders or even our respective communities, it only takes a quick trip to realize that the world is big, the lost are many, and Jesus is the ONLY answer."
Those words are directly from my friend's email.
He then goes on to describe the neighboring country to his. This country is a place where they are trying to enforce holiness by law. They have laws against lusting, homosexuality, drunkenness, lack of faith and conversion to another religion. Yet this is the most corrupt nation they have ever visited while ministering in Africa. Again his words drive a spike into my, and perhaps your, typical American Christian response.
"Our beacon of light and salvation will never be our government, policies, or perceived righteousness, but our beacon of light and hope will always be the unsurpassed power of the Truth that Christ has defeated the grave and is living in us!"
So often I find myself and hear other Christians talking about what's wrong with our country and the government. We are so quick to be happy when a certain party is "in power" and another is out; or vice-versa. The problem here is that we often fail to remember and recognize that only Jesus is in power. We often believe that certain laws being passed or others being repealed can make this a "Christian nation" again. While believing this we neglect to recognize the depth of sin in our own lives and look at things with the perspective of them vs. us. I especially hate it when I find myself thinking that if everyone were like me the world would be a better place, this is completely asinine. This arrogant mistake puts the hope of the world in my hands and in my righteousness and this is a grave mistake. Any hope in me - or any single human for that matter - will result in terrible let down and devastation. (I just pictured in my head many well meaning Christians laughing about how many people are putting their hope in President-Elect Obama and thinking to themselves, "it will be a good lesson for everyone when he fails, I'll just sit here and wait." This too is a terrible mistake and an arrogant one as well because it is a way of reinforcing what one thought was right and blaming everyone else for thinking other than us, which is obviously wrong.) Can you see how dark your own motivations are? These realizations have been haunting me for the last 3 weeks. I have repented regularly and ask daily for the eyes to see the world through the correct understanding of the Sovereignty of God, would you join me in doing the same...
A few final words from my friend's email and I close
"Let us take hope in Christ our Omnipotent, Merciful, and Perfect President. Let us strive and labor unwaveringly to see people choose King Jesus as the President-Elect of their hearts and lives!"
I sign off on this post in the same way he signed off his email -
Serving at the Pleasure of President Jesus,
Derrick Phillips
(email quotes courtesy of a guy we'll just call Bob)
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