This past week as I turned into our neighborhood, I was reminded that voting season is upon us. Staked into there ground were colorful signs with the names of the candidates and the office they hope to win. It’s a fun and exciting time but it’s also a time filled with division, strong opinions and of course false claims against their opponents and exaggerated promises.
Our pastor, Mark Traylor, did a great sermon yesterday called Christianity Without Political Partisanship. He jokingly told us that two of God’s Commandments are broken during political campaigns, 1) Do not bear false witness and 2) Do not take the Lord’s name in vain.
Initially he threw me for a bit. The false witness part – yep, that’s a given. However, I can honestly say that I’ve never heard a politician use, you know, the “GD” word. At least not in front of a crowd or a camera, intentionally that is.
Mark went on to explain the complete definition of “using God’s name in vain” is not only as a curse word but manipulating God’s name in order to get what you want. Hmm…that made me think. True, some politicians may use their own personal faith or throw in a token Bible verse in the middle of a speech in order to win Christian voters, but was this equal to yelling out the “GD” word in a fit of rage? Because if this is the true definition of this commandment, then I may be guilty as charged. #@!&* I mean…darn it!
I began doing a self-analysis. Is this what I do this with my kids? Do I phrase things about God in order to get the behavior out of them that I desire? Do I purposefully state my interpretation of Bible stories or Jesus in order to get others to see things my way?
I wasn’t sure and it made me nervous.
In 1 Samuel 16:7 we read, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Okay – all this time I thought I was safe with the third commandment because outwardly I wasn’t running around using “that word.”
As I began to pray and think about it, I felt a peace that was followed with a warning. There are times that I fight or question the rules and regulations of the faith in which I was raised. However, it’s not to get others to behave or believe like me – it’s to create conversation and explore it together. God’s self-esteem can handle our questions as long is it’s Him we’re seeking and not the ability to control others.
At the same time we must be careful. God is interested in our hearts. If our motives are to know Him and help others know the true Him, then we’re safe. It’s when we close our minds and with a “know it all” attitude use our words and actions to convince and even scare others into believing like us, voting like us, and living like us. This is when we know we’ve crossed the line.
I’m still processing this new definition of the third commandment. I’d be interested if any of you have heard this before and/or have any insight into how this may invade other areas of our lives besides parenting and voting.
Comments
Post has no comments.