We the People

Growing up I was blessed in so many ways. My parents were both politically active, advocating for the stranger and for the oppressed. As a baby I went door to door (in their arms!) campaigning for George McGovern. They took me along to marches and in all their work included me and taught me many beautiful things. I think it was sometime in the 90’s that a new phrase, a new way of referring to the president came into being, “leader of the free world.”  For those who had been raised during World War II, calling a president “leader,” sets off alarm bells. Moreover as theological students they had both learned  that there is only one “leader” or “Fuhrer,” and that is Jesus, and Jesus alone, not Hitler, not Roosevelt and not Stalin; both Karl Barth and Bonhoeffer taught my parents this lesson, a lesson they would never forget. The Queen herself rightly bows to a foreign prince, the Lord Jesus. But my parents’ concern, a concern I share, goes further. What is a president?  A president is someone who presides over the national conversation; much like a skilled hostess, a president can turn the conversation this way or that.  The office is powerful as such, but not imperial.  I'm glad that in our day and age, the phrase, “leader of the free world” seems to be used less than it once was.  We don't want to forget that we are a government of the people, by the people and for the people.  The apostle Paul says, “let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God…those that exist have been instituted by God.”  Paul lived in an Empire. The authorities instituted by God were the emperors, governors, centurions and the like. But we have been given a  democracy, the authority instituted by God is us. There is no other way for Americans than democracy; if we resist we resist to our own hurt, even as the apostle warns. A young man I know and esteem, once indicated to me that he would like a dictator in America; he had been raised in Europe and used to the efficiency of the “strongman.” Democracy is sometimes not easy to understand. It must be painfully learned again and again, but God is faithful and good and he will not let us forget forever.  The buck does not stop at the presidency, but right here, with me and you. Every Sunday I pray for local and national government, but I never forget that the government is us; whatever happens, at home or abroad is our responsibility, we are the authorities instituted by God.

"Accidental" Evangelist

As we read aloud from the Bible my friend looked up and said, “Does this mean I don't have to worry about converting people anymore?” I was startled but I had to agree with her. We had been reading through 2 Corinthians 2 but also reflecting on places like Acts 1, and I realized that when Jesus tells the disciples, “ You shall be my witnesses," they neither set up on a street corner with a bullhorn, nor do they book a travel agent to travel to the farthest nations. Instead, look at how Peter's first sermon and the subsequent conversion of three thousand people came about-- The disciples, both men and women, had simply been praying in the upper room in obedience when the Holy Spirit fell upon them and they began to speak the praises of God in many languages. This was, not surprisingly, a bit startling to the people in Jerusalem, and they gathered in consternation and wonder but some asked aloud whether the disciples weren't just early morning drunks. It was to defend himself and the others against the charge of public drunkenness that Peter speaks, and in so doing is compelled to share the gospel. To paraphrase: "You meant the death of Jesus for evil but God meant it for your good.”  What we see with Peter and even more clearly with Paul in all of their preaching is that, in fact, we don’t need to worry about evangelizing at all.  The pattern that we see throughout Acts and the entire New Testament not to mention the Old, of  “stumbling” into preaching the gospel is everywhere. Truly, “in Christ Jesus we are created to do good things, prepared in advance by God for us to do.” Without a doubt we will be the Lord's witnesses, and "make disciples of many nations" but this is not because of our own efforts, but rather because we will see and hear wonders of God and he himself will provide a situation where we are almost compelled to share what we know. In other words, as my friend also said," Relax but be ready. ” We will simply, through no effort or worry beforehand, find ourselves telling the story, say, of Samson, or perhaps reminding someone of Jeremiah 31, even without directly quoting a single phrase. We will find ourselves, like Peter, like Paul and all the disciples, quite easily and innocently sharing the gospel, "accidental" evangelists. As Jesus said, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”