People who know me well know a few things that I really dislike. I would like more people to know me well, mainly because I would really like them to stop dragging me into conversations that I really hate having.
I dislike politics. Politics is full of liars and cheats. Being involved in politics ties you up and sends you down a chute of ass-kissing and lying to be liked or believed. I don’t like it. I weigh out my options when voting, pray about the candidates and vote with a clear conscience. If I can’t do that, I don’t vote. I don’t like to compromise my morals, politics tends to compromise everyone’s morals. You never know who’s telling the truth because as I as I stated before, it’s all about being liked and kissing someone’s behind to be believed or get ahead.
I dislike any religion that places a heavy burden on people and I have found that most standard religions do just that. Jesus said that his yoke is light, and that He will carry our burdens. If religion were about Him it wouldn’t place heavy burdens on us. I’m not talking about the burdens of the heart that move us to action, that is different. I’m talking about the burden to behave a certain way, do a certain amount of study or work, memorize this or that, be so busy that we miss the relationship with God that is so vital to our existence. I refuse to take part in that anymore.
What I really dislike is the combination of said religions and politics. Preachers should not be in the pulpit or public forum giving us the run down about politicians. They should be encouraging their flock to seek Jesus. They should be teaching their people how to listen to God. They should be all about bringing more and more people into relationship with God. If they are in their pulpits and public forums telling me how to vote or why I should or shouldn’t like such and such candidate I plug my ears and stop listening.
I know about my “civic duty”. It’s boiled down to this. Love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, and soul. Love my neighbor as myself. Do EVERYTHING as if I am doing it for the Lord. That rules my civic duty, my marriage, the raising of my children, the treatment of my fellow-man, the way I do my “job”. That is my civic duty. Therefore it has nothing to do with politics or religion. Those are empty pursuits because one day soon, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, every crown will be laid down before the feet of Jesus, King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Religion will fall away, politicians will be flat on the floor. We will no longer have the Hollywood élite or the sports gods. We will have the One, the Alpha and Omega and He is all that will matter.
We can either focus on learning His voice and training our hearts to respond to Him or we can waste our time and energy on false religion and politics. I don’t know what you will choose, but this day I am choosing Jesus. I am choosing freedom. I am choosing something different.
