We're not called to be obedient consumers. We're free in Christ to love and serve our neighbor according to his need
There's a reason that politics in this country will never get fixed. Corrupt politicians, pork-barrel politics, cronyism, tokenism, and race-baiting will always play a part in our elections and governing. The constant message that "If I'm elected, I promise you'll be happy with what I am going to give you" will continue to be the campaign slogan of every state and federal politician because they're not in control of the message.
Someone owns them. Every single politician is owned by a wealthy businessman. Wealth controls what politicians say and what political causes are important to them. The politicians, red or blue, aren't any more significant than the brand of peanut butter we buy at the grocery store. We choose from amongst the brands that we're allowed to choose from.
We're given the illusion of choice, but we don't have any freedom to choose. Politicians have owners. We have owners too. For example, every sports arena and stadium in America is named after a corporation that built it with our tax dollars. Multi-national corporations have bought and paid for the Senate, Congress, White House, governor's mansion, and city hall.
Six companies determine what we read, and watch, and listen to every day. If they want us to focus on the coronavirus, that's the message we receive. If they want us to focus on racial division and police corruption, that's the message we will receive. If they want us to vote Democrat or Republican, there will be no positive coverage of a third-party candidate.
But why? What do these companies really want from us? They want more for themselves and less for everybody else. They want us to be dependent on them and tell us how to think, feel, and act. And judging by what's happening in our country this year, they've been very successful at accomplishing this goal.
We're not called to be obedient consumers. We're free in Christ to love and serve our neighbor according to his need
But as Christians, we know what they don't want. They don't want us to turn off the news and open our Bibles. They don't want us to stop relying on them to tell us what to think, what to feel, what to say, what to do, and what to believe. They don't want us to kneel at a different altar and submit ourselves to a real God, the Lord Jesus. They don't want us to consume Christ's body and blood, not when they have so much more misinformation to feed us.
If we're standing on solid ground today, it's because Jesus lifted us up out of the abyss and gave us a new life.
We're not called to be obedient consumers. We're free in Christ to love and serve our neighbor according to his need, to bandage his wounds, give him food and drink as he has a need, and to lift him onto our shoulders when he's been beaten down.
I hear people on the street and on social media debate about which political party is better. Some argue the Democratic party is better. Others argue that the Republican party is better. But, the truth is, none of us has enough money to get invited to their party. And even if we were let in, the table is tilted. But nobody notices and nobody cares so long as they're at the party.
All of us receive the truth about ourselves, this evil world, and our need for Jesus.
On the other hand, at the Lord's Table, everyone is seated next to the King. Everyone receives the same amount of forgiveness, life, and salvation from him. Everyone eats their fill. All of us receive the truth about ourselves, this evil world, and our need for Jesus. Everyone one of us is cared for and looked after by our Savior. He cares about us all the time.
Don't rely on politicians to fix things or corporations to save us from the problems they created. They can't do that for us. They never could and never will be able to because they're only human. Let them make their money and keep behaving as if they're gods in this world. We've already received our reward: the body and blood of Jesus Christ, given and shed for our salvation.
