I live in Arizona. The state used to be a solid "red state." When we moved here we had a Republican governor, Republican senators, and mostly Republican representatives ... and Sheriff Joe. No longer. It's now termed a "purple state" because ... there is still a base of conservatives, but none of the above factors are still true. And the transition was sudden. One day, red ... practically the next, purple. Okay, one election. You get the idea. Literally, over an eight-year period, we watched it go from red to purple. What happened? The largest reason for the shift is the influx of Californians. They've fled the "Left coast" because they didn't like the prices and politics ... and brought their politics with them. In the past decade, an average of 173 Californians a day. They've shifted the tides.
What's my point? The problem is not Californians. The problem is ... the heart. Years ago the company I worked for invited 6 Chinese university students to work with us for a year. They offered to pay employees to put them up in their homes. I thought it was a great missions opportunity ... and it was really good. Gao was a wonderful guy who told me, "China needs Jesus." Once in a conversation at work with me, Gao, and a coworker who went to my church, the coworker asked if Gao was a communist. Gao was puzzled. "No ... why would you ask that?" "Well," the friend said, "your government is communist." Gao smiled. "Our government rules by force; we didn't select them." And it hit me. Our government is a "representative government." It represents us. The problem in American politics today isn't politicians; it's voters. It's a problem ... of the heart. Jesus said, "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone" (Matt 15:19-20). The source of all of human-caused problems is the heart. Californians that ran from their "horrible politics" brought their hearts with them and, therefore, their politics. Looking around you, it's possible to see hearts because of actions. We always act on what we truly believe.
This is why we must be born again. It's why we need to die to self. James asks why there are conflicts and quarrels among us. He says it's because we don't ask for help, and when we do ask, we ask for the wrong reasons. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions" (James 4:3). So, when you wonder what's wrong with "those people" or the world, try looking at the heart. Start with your own. Look at what you do as opposed to what you say you believe. Work from there. The problem with the world isn't Democrats or Republicans, Californians or other states, communists or democracies ... the problem with the world ... is us. You and me.
4 comments:
This is why I don't hold out hope for the stability of this country. I look around and see a people that hate God, so why should He continue to bless us? Thankfully, my hope isn't in this country.
David, Your sentiments strike me as those that every true biblically minded person would (and should) hold during their time on this earth--regardless of where they live. As I see it, God has seen fit to bless the residents of this nation in the ways He has up to now, and it’s His prerogative, of course, to change that at any time and in any way--again, as He sees fit; yet He will keep the Body of Christ intact through whatever comes. I too am trusting in that and in Him alone.
My home state of PA is also a “swing state” like AZ, and according to one link I just checked, it is even more “purple” than AZ, having been 50 / 50 over the past four presidential elections (as opposed to AZ having been 25 [red] / 75 [blue]). Pennsylvania does not get the influx of Californians that AZ does, but it is currently the hold-out among the blue band that is the entire northeastern and mid-Atlantic states--the other big “Left hot spot” of the country. Hopefully, middle American will keep those two Left coasts from spreading inland politically.
Stan wrote, “Californians [who] ran from their ‘horrible politics’ brought their hearts with them [to AZ] [my emphasis added].
Well, all except crooner Tony Bennett, of course, who asserted, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” (sorry, I couldn’t’ resist :-D)
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