Pastor’s Corner: After an Election

It has been a grueling, soul-bruising political campaign season, that’s for certain. Election Day has come and gone; the votes have been tallied; the winners identified; and for at least some offices, the transition work has begun.

For us as citizens – and as Christian citizens – the work has not ended. Some may need a time to grieve; others may need a time to exult. But now to the elected comes the task of governing, and to the citizen comes the time to speak for policies and laws that serve people, and to speak against policies and laws that burden people.

“Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house and proclaim there this word, and say… If you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place…” (Jeremiah 7:2a, 5b-7b)

I’ve read the President-elect’s plan for his first one hundred days in office. It has twenty-eight policy points or legislative initiatives. As I read them, three are unwise. One is unhelpful. Eight threaten harm to people in this or other nations.

I read four of them as being active works of evil.

I will stand and oppose these in the public square. It is my duty as a citizen, my obligation as a Christian, and my responsibility as a faith leader. Those who govern must be deafened by the voices of the people, not unhearing because of their silence.

We must not be silent.

Inform your opinions – with facts and with the ethics of our faith – and then share them with our elected leaders and their staffs. Not once, but again and again.

We will not always prevail – Jeremiah didn’t – but we must speak.

Peace to you,

Pastor Eric