I’m often asked where I stand on political issues and candidates. I’ve struggled for years on this question. But I’ve finally landed somewhere. Here’s my 8 minute answer. And I hope it may provide a bit of clarity for you as well?

(The text is here below also. )

During the last election cycle, I got an odd phone call. It was from an in-law who hadn’t talked to me in several years. But the purpose of the call was to find out who I was voting for in the upcoming presidential election. More, he had to know about my adult kids. “So, are they liberal or conservative?” Before I could respond, he said, “Well, they all went to college so they all must be liberal.”

 Sadly, I’ve had other phone calls like that in this election. They were doing this to Jesus too  2,000 years ago. Who are you for? Who are you against? What label can we give you? It was a difficult time for the Hebrews. They were oppressed, longing for release, for freedom from the Romans. Jesus didn't speak to that. It frustrated everyone, because that was the first thing on everyone's mind. 

Every time he was challenged with a political question, he turned the question around: He made it personal. Someone asked about taxes. Taxation on the Jews was excessive, oppressive. Should we pay taxes?

 "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God's " 

 What about the Galileans Pilate had killed--and then he mixed their blood with their sacrifices?   Jesus didn't address that horrific crime. He used that question to call them all to repentance: "But unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

 One man came to Jesus complaining that his brother wouldn't divide the inheritance with him. Jesus said,  “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you? . . .  be on your guard against all covetousness.

 He always spoke to the heart of the person's real need. Their real need was much greater than political liberation. Jesus didn’t come for that. He came to free their hearts.

 The religious landscape was the same as the political landscape . There were so many divisions, so many labels.  the Pharisees, the Levites, the scribes, the Essenes, the Sadducees.  And they didn't get along with one another. Instead of taking sides, Jesus took everyone beyond the labels to what was really at stake.

 The expert in the law who came to Jesus--how can I get eternal life? ---who knew he was supposed to love his neighbor--and who tried to get out of it . .. .

 And Jesus knows what’s in his heart---so he tells a story. You know the story. It’s a story about labels:

 “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and some robbers attacked him, took his money, stripped his clothes, beat him bloody and unconscious . ..  And a democrat saw him and walked right by him without missing a beat. Then came a republican who did the same. Then came a libertarian who turned the other cheek and walked the other way and finally along came a liberal who stopped, bound his wounds, loaded him in his truck and drove him to a fancy hotel and paid for his care.

 (Or change the labels around. Saved by the Republican. Or the Libertarian.)  BUT—-The good guy in Jesus' story is the most despised man in their culture: a half-breed Jew, politically and religiously an outcast.

 Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

 The religious expert got it. He didn't say "The Samaritan." That word that carried political and religious weight. Which meant "enemy." He said his new name:

 "The one who has mercy."

 The label was gone. He was named by his actions, his character.

 But people didn't like it. They preferred labels. Once you attach a label to yourself, You're in the war. You've chosen a side. You've enlisted. The battle's on.

 Jesus kept moving the battle. Beyond the politics. Beyond Religion. To the battle inside our hearts. He went there every time, removing labels, changing names.

 *A woman caught in adultery: They called her despised. Prostitute. Jesus called her --Forgiven.

 *A tax collector, Matthew, labeled a traitor----Jesus named him disciple and friend

 *Lepers were called unclean, outcasts: Jesus called them CLEAN.

 *A zealot, a violent revolutionary----he called brother.

 *A Samaritan woman----despised and disvalued twice---because of her gender and  ethnicity---Jesus renamed Worthy.

 He changed all our names and labels, didn't he?

 But He never changed a Pharisee to a Sadducee----or a Herodian to a Zealot. Or an Ethiopian to a Jew. He swept us from our native country---the kingdom of darkness to a new country---the kingdom of light. He gave us new names because he gave us a new country, serving a new king.

 I am still learning this. I am still learning to do politics like Jesus. No more Democrats, no more Republicans, no more Samaritans, no more vaccinated or unvaccinated. Only someone who sees the stricken man fallen beside the road, who stops to bind his wounds.

 When we do that, here’s what will happen.

 Who is that helping that poor man over there? People will ask.

 Maybe that's what they call a neighbor, someone will say.

And finally someone will say, I know who that person is. That's what they call a Christian.

A what?

 A follower of Jesus.

In this election, and to the end of our days, let THIS name be our one true name:

A follower of Jesus,

The one who had mercy.

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 (A few have asked, may I share this on my social media? Please do! )