Why I'm Not Angry

It seems like everyone is angry nowadays.

Democrats point their fingers at Republians. "You favor big-business greedheads, and you get us into frivolous wars," they say.

Republicans point their fingers at Democrats. "You're subverting what this country has always stood for, and you spend money we don't have!" they say.

We Christians seem angriest of all.

"The Obama administration is anti-Christian!" we say. "Maybe he's even a Muslim! Vote! Write your congressman! Organize!"

Catholics have put out an inspiring video segment urging people to vote. I watched it. It showed a blacksmith forging words like "Truth" and "Justice" from steel, and resolute Catholics striding forth to vote.

It made me, a voter, feel...LEGENDARY!

It seems that many Christians want to change this nation from the top down.

It all leaves me bewildered, even feeling a bit harassed. Because everybody wants me to take action. They think I have this great influence over minds because I'm a pastor (I wish that were true)! They want me to preach political sermons, join political movements, defend the Constitution.

Can I get a break?

Because that's not what I see Jesus doing.

There was a time when the Jewish people, sick of Roman rule (they didn't get to vote) decided to make Jesus "king by force" (John 6:15).

"This guy's got power," they said. "He gets peole to listen! I bet he could organize some kind of army! And with God's blessing, we could kick the Romans right back to Italy!"

Jesus took action. The Bible says he "...slipped away into the hills by himself."

What a weenie. He could have changed nations!  He could have brought justice! What was he thinking, anyway?

Another time, the Jewish people came to Jesus with shocking news about their leader, Pilate. "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices" (Luke 13:1).

Now there's a guy to get rid of! How cruel! Not only did Pilate murder these Galileans over some offense, he then had their own blood mixed with the blood of the animals they had intended to sacrifice!

Jesus' response? "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (verses 2-3).

Silence.

What an insult!

You just can't get this guy riled!

Actually, you could. When the Pharisees set up a corrupt market for exchanging money and selling sacrifical animals, Jesus made a whip out of cords, overturned the tables, and drove out all the animals. "Get these out of here!" Jesus said. "How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" (John 2:16).

Why? Because "the market of the sons of Annas," as it was derisively called, was the only place in the Temple where Gentiles could pray.

Here's another time Jesus got riled.

Not long before his death, a woman visited the room where Jesus and his disciples were. She came with a hugely expensive jar of imported perfume, broke the seal, and poured it on his head. The disciples were outraged. "What a waste!" they said.

Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" (Mark 13:6-9).

Now there's a woman who made a difference!

You see, Jesus' emphasis was always on individual people. His kingdom is about winning souls into God's love one at a time. Jesus knew that this world would betray and eventually hate us (Matthew 24:9). He knew the real battle was to change the world one soul at a time.

And that's what he commanded us to do. In Mark 16:15 Jesus gave us our primary command: "Go into all the world [that's your world] and preach the good news to all creation."

It would be easy for me to shout about Obama. But do I have the courage to tell my friends that Jesus offers them eternal life?

Do you?

I want to change this nation and the world--one soul at a time!

That's what God called me to do.