Sometimes it is hard to know who your friends are. Just ask Sara Palin! I was talking to a friend who leads a ministry yesterday. Apparently someone he works with has been quite vocal about his political choices this year. His best retort to those who disagree? "You are too ignorant to know who to vote for." He has had to watch as this person has attacked others and loaded on the invectives and insults to his face.
It would probably feel pretty good to cut off the offender and slash his ministry support. My sarcastic comment to my friend, "Welcome to the ministry!" He was asking for my counsel. You understand, the offender is a Christian minister! I told my friend, you have a choice, you can decide who will be the first person to turn the other cheek, and be loving toward someone who is behaving like an enemy.
Many who claim to be Christ-followers have trouble with these commandments of Jesus. We love to proclaim who we are against and label them as anti-Christian. This is no more apparent than when we are in the middle of a political season. I mean, how can we possibly pray for a pro-choice candidate? How can we turn the other cheek toward those who are attacking our leadership role in ministry? And yet, we have to acknowledge that these propositions are not merely nice ideas, they are standards for behavior that Christ commands.
About Charlie Wear
right on. also for all christians to pray for our country and president.