Life Of A Christian

The coming elections and the manner in which the candidates and constituents interact have raised some observations and thoughts regarding how people view life and it’s issues. As it pertains to the major candidates, one side views the election of the other as the most unwise decision that could ever be made. Words like dangerous, stupid and evil are used to describe both candidates by their opponents and their opponents supporters. So the question is who is right? I know I have my idea of who is right and it all has to do with, of course, my perspective on life and the issue at hand. Most people don’t want to admit that they have one let alone discuss the bias involved in their perspective. Most of us believe that our view is the smart and well thought out view. I know that’s what I think.

The issue is the deeper seated personal world view that shapes our perspective on, in this case, who we choose as a candidate and more broadly every decision we make and the bias we have in life. I know and I freely admit my world view and I freely admit that it is going to effect every decision I make in life. At least, I want it to. I try to present myself as a born again believer who is striving to be more Christlike every day and I know that my world view directly effects my perspective on many issues and ideals. I also know that because of my world view I am viewed by others in a certain way. Some of my brothers and sisters in Christ will laud me for standing up in a world that is not Christlike at least the brothers and sisters that do not see me as a hypocrite or too conservative. And then there are those that see me as intolerant and exclusive because my world view clashes with their world view.

It appears that the lines between perspectives in life are becoming more distinct. I believe that this is what the Bible says is going to happen as it speaks of the difference between sheep and goats becoming more defined and I think we are seeing it, specifically in this election, right before our eyes. I think we are also seeing clearer lines being drawn between major issues in our world and our society also. I know that the most deep lines that the Bible speaks of has to do with allegiance to Christ or allegiance to a world governed by the enemy and it is getting to the place where people have to pick a side. I know that the voters do not see the election as I have just described, but I actually think that this election clearly represents two very distinct world views. I am not by any means stating that either one of the candidates are Godly at all, but it appears that there is more passion in this election than I have seen in along time and I think that it is because chords are being struck and people are reacting.

I think that there is a large group of people that feel that they have not had a voice for a long time and a glimmer of someone caring about and sharing some beliefs that they have and that they feel have been pushed aside has stirred up a passion that they have not had in a while. On the other side, I think there is a group that is appalled at the ideas that have been pushed forward. Not that they are that egregious, even though they are portrayed that way, but that the ideas are even being considered. I think that in this election the perspective of how politics is done is the real issue. At times, it doesn’t appear that there are any rules in the political game, but there are and the fact that the way that things are done is being challenged is the real issue at hand. I do not believe this to be a political issue. This election has transcended that in my opinion because the issues are not the issue. I think that the issue is the voices that are represented.

My perspective has been for a long time that the political process doesn’t matter anymore. I have become numb to it and I think that there are others that feel the same way. I think that the message is presented differently to make it appear there are options, but I have given up on that idea for a while that change is possible. Maybe I’m cynical. I think that the passion in this election comes not from issues, but from a basic attack on the way things are done. I actually like it because as a Christian I feel that my voice in society has been squelched and anything that attacks the way that things are done these days I am all for. I believe that I am not alone. I think that there are others that have felt the same way and  this election has stirred up hope. I don’t know that it is hope in the country because I realize that my only hope is in Him. But hope that there are still a lot of people that share my perspective and that we can have a voice.

Since the beginning of time people have oppressed other people and whether it is because of the result of a war or because of financial reasons or just as an exhibition of power slavery has been part of that oppression. Today, in the world we live in, slavery is still actually fairly prevalent and people are keeping other people against their will and using them for whatever purpose they desire. In biblical times, slavery existed for many of the same reasons that we have slavery today, but there was an added factor that is not as overtly prevalent as it was then. Indentured servitude was very common as those that fell destitute could die from their affliction and many would choose to put themselves into a situation where they would give their life’s will to another in exchange for the primary needs of life. Sometimes it was temporary and sometimes it was permanent, sometimes it was voluntary and sometimes it was forced. An individual could choose to be put into slavery or a part of or the the entirety of a family could become the property of another.

As I think about slavery today I know that there are people keeping others against their will around the world, but I don’t see that type of slavery overtly in the environment that I live in. That being said, I think about all the people that have voluntarily subjected themselves to so many different types of oppression or that have a feeling that there is not a choice about their life situation. I wonder about the pressure that is put on us socially or even the mandatory requirements of government and I think about how much of a choice do we really have. I am an advocate of simplifying ones lifestyle to put the least amount of burden on ourselves so as to be able to keep choices and not loose flexibility as far as what is actually possible financially and socially, but it seems that there is more and more that is being put in the category of mandatory and I don’t really think that much of what we deem compulsory is actually in that category.

There is great pressure in our culture to attain a certain standard of life and those that do not achieve or strive to achieve are shunned. Those that are striving often put themselves basically in indentured servitude to a system that feeds itself. God tells us to seek ye first the kingdom and all other things will be added. I have tried to make this one of my life verses and as I have studied it and mediated on it this verse has developed great depth and application in my life. Within this context I see the application as God calls us to worship him and give him all our allegiance and that He will take care of all the details of life. I believe that God calls us to primarily focus on our relationship with Him and then He will guide us through the path of life. That being said, I think that God will lead us away from being of the world.

The world wants us to be in it and of it. I believe that this qualifies as slavery. The world view and the world system wants us to comply and it will try to create ways to keep us in the preferred world view and away from what God wants for our lives. Then there is the influence on the culture and the shaping of the mores that guide us. I look at this as a form of indentured servitude. Is there a way to stay out of the mainstream culture? I believe the answer to that question is yes, but it is difficult and you have to not be influenced by what the culture says is important. Buying into the system will put a burden on your life to live the way that is expected. Many, unfortunately, cannot resist the call to normalcy. We even see it in the church as the culture effects the way the church functions and the beliefs that it has.

The apostle Paul often called himself a servant or slave of Jesus Christ. I think that he understood the concept that I am talking about today. I do not think that it is a matter of being a servant or a slave, but whom do we serve. As humans, we are worshipers by nature. It is what we do and who we are. The only question that needs to be answered is to whom do bow the knee. Jesus stated that He is the one true king and that one day all will bow the knee. I think that he offers us freedom in this world if he choose to worship Him now. In the end, we will all worship whether we want to or not. Unfortunately, not all with will have the same destiny. Our allegiance to Jesus today actually gives us freedom from all the other cruel masters in this life and then freedom in the life eternally.