Stirring the Pot

I was driving through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia today when I passed a house with a sign that immediately caught my attention: "God is not spelled G-O-P". It tickled my funny bone, but it set me thinking.

As politicians proclaim themselves as American messiahs and political opponents play on the fears of their followers, it's easy for the rest of us to get caught up in the fray. When we throw faith and religion into the mix, we get that strange blend of American politics that bemuses the rest of the world.

It's clear that many of my fellow citizens passionately believe that the Republican Party is God's Party. On the other hand, I know so many people who believe the Democratic platforms of universal health care, concern for the poor, and not going to war sound a lot like Jesus. While many on the right seem predisposed to kill our enemies by going to war, many on the left seem well-inclined to support the murder of the unborn. It causes me to question who really has the higher ground? Both seem motivated by much, much more than a genuine benevolence for the people.

I find great relief in the fact that God is neither Democrat or Republican. And although we are inclined to attach His name to our agendas, He calls us to a higher place. "His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8).

I, like most of us, am fascinated by this presidential campaign. I will cast my vote, but I don't think I'll go so far as to put my hope in whom ever my candidate of choice will be.

It's good to stir the pot and pause to think about the God who transcends our politics.

For my Canadian & European friends, "GOP" stands for the "Grand Old Party", a.k.a. the Republican Party.