Jump Start # 1550

1 Thessalonians 5:21 “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good”

  The political scene has captured the national news. This year is shaping up to be something very unusual and those that thrive in election maneuvers are amazed at what is happening. Love him or hate him, all the talk this season is about Trump. “The Donald,” is a phenomenon. He says things that would end most candidates chances, yet some how he continues to ride high the tide of popularity. Jump Starts is not political. I purposely distance myself from making any stance known. I stand with Jesus. God brings kings up and down as He desires. My hope is in the Lord.

Having said that, there is something about Trump and his demeanor that we can look at as Christians. Being loud and calling others names doesn’t prove yourself right. It doesn’t mean that your arguments are correct. No one is killed by thunder. It’s the lightning that does the damage. The affect of this is seen everywhere. Co-workers being rude and shouting at one another. Road rage, which led to a shooting in my area recently. The nightly shouting matches at home between parents and teens or husband and wife and even brethren turning ugly and saying mean things about one another. This is becoming all too common.

Mocking or ridiculing what someone believes does not disprove what they believe nor does it show that you are right. This is being witnessed in presidential debates and in far too schools and homes these days.

Our passage today states, “examine everything carefully.” The King James Version uses the expression, “Prove all things.” In 2 Corinthians Paul said, “test yourselves to see if you are in the faith.” Other translations use the term, “Examine yourself.” Prove it. The bark may scare us, but it’s the bite that kills us.

From this here are some simple observations:

1. The louder and faster I talk does not prove my case

2. Dominating the conversation and interrupting the other person does not prove my case

3. Stacking my side with numbers, such as “no one believes that,” or “everyone I know agrees with me,” doesn’t prove my case

4. Making fun of what the other person believes does not prove my case

5. Attacking my opponent’s character and background does not prove my case

6. Making threats does not prove my case

7. Pouting, crying, slamming doors, walking away from the discussion does not prove my case

8. Ridiculing a person’s grammar, education or the way they look doesn’t prove my case

Bring up the subject of same-sex marriage and notice how many of the above things come into the discussion. Turn the conversation to origins and open the door to the creation-evolution discussion and again, so many of the above points make their way into the conversation. Have the discussion turn to women’s role in the church, and many of these above points are used. Talk about marriage and divorce and you’ll find these points again.

Proving things, in the realm we are talking about, means finding Biblical evidence that makes that principle. The person can’t stand upon what they feel, want or what has always been the standard or the norm. God’s word must be the standard. God’s word must be accepted as the final authority.

When the Pharisee’s questioned Jesus about divorce, it was to the word of God that He gave His answer. “Have you not read…”  is what Jesus said. He immediately took the conversation from “what I think and what you think,” to “here is what the Bible says.” God’s word always surpasses our feelings or what we thing. God’s word must be used accurately. God’s word must be used in the context in which it was delivered.

Proving things means going to the word of God. Jesus shows us this in the synagogue when He opened the book and found the place where it was written and then read the passage. Simply saying, “It’s in the Bible somewhere,” isn’t good enough. Open the book. Find the place. Often what we think is in the book, isn’t. Prove it. Show it.

I fear that one of the outcomes of this year’s political campaigns will be an attitude adopted by many which will be loud, bullying and name calling. We will stop “proving things” and just run rough-shod over others, ignoring what they are saying. This does not do well in making relationships nor does this prove that we are right. Jesus never did this.

When someone asks us a question, answer it. Be kind—remember that? Answer gently—remember that? Those are Biblical expressions that are found following the call to correct or answer someone. Our attitudes and spirits must not be bulldozers that level everything in our way. Rather, we must be bridge builders, that help lead people to Christ.

Bullies in the pulpit certainly doesn’t win the hearts of the lost. Intimidation, threats, meanness ought to be out of us when we have crucified the old man. The heart that is following Jesus lets the word of God do it’s work. It doesn’t need to trick people, pressure people or make others feel intimidated. God doesn’t operate that way and neither should His people. Elders who have turned to this have lost the spirit of shepherding. They have become cow pokes who are now driving the flock to ruination. Fear may fill the pews on a Sunday night, but fear isn’t the motivation that God uses. The “Gospel” by very definition, means “good news.” You’d think the opposite the way some present it. You wonder why some stay with their faith, the way they describe it. The joy of Christ has been replaced with the fear of the warden.

Now none of this means that we soft pedal the message of Christ. This does not mean that compromise the message. This does not mean that we do not speak plainly. This does not mean that tough things need to be said. But all of this can be done without crushing the spirit of the other person. We do not have to destroy the person. Our goal is not to drive them out, like Israel was told to do in the promise land, but rather to convert. I even read an article written by a Christian years ago that addressed those that were false. His article title was, “Drive out, destroy and defeat.” What about, “Convert, change, and save?” Some folks cannot hear what we are saying because of the manner in which we are saying it.

Prove it. Show it. Demonstrate it. Live it. Believe it. Teach it. There’s not much we can do with politicians. Putting them all in a rocket and sending them to the moon might be a great start, but that still wouldn’t change things. But as for me and you, we must decide if we are going to carry ourselves like the world or like Christ.

Don’t let the spirit of politics ruin your own spirit.

Roger