Birdie Tag - Christians in the Political Arena
| 03 May 2008
Just a couple of weeks ago...
my little boy and I were standing in one of those large office stores. That particular one happened to have large glass windows in the front. While I was busy looking for some things I needed, I felt a tug on my pants leg. My son was extremely excited as he pointed out the window to a group of sea gulls swooping and diving and chasing one another. The wild acrobatics of those birds inspired his imagination and he said: "Look Daddy! Birdie Tag!?" That moment was extremely precious as most such moments are. But even in that moment something larger came into view, the natural order and purpose of things. Those birds were involved in the landing to feed on a very blustery and windy day. Their wild acrobatics were as much the manner in which they were preparing to land as simple "birdie tag".
We often forget as we move about our hurried lives that there is a design and order to every living thing. We also seem to forget or at best to trivialize that there is a purpose for everything we experience. What is so amazing is that whether you are an average person or a rocket scientist, there is a tremendous sense of natural order. In a discussion with two gay men the other day I found a desire on their part to see the natural order, and for them to include their actions in said order, but the most fundamental link between mere order and true understanding of Divine order was missing. They also seemed to sense a purpose for mankind, but to miss its true mark as most people do.
As you move about the world you live in, check out the natural world. There is order and cohesiveness in that world that boggles the mind. Just the smallest of creatures or the largest of eco systems contains millions if not billions of complex systems that are all required to work in a particular fashion for things to be right. Your own body is so well ordered in its fantastic design that when something so small as a splinter invades its order you immediately know and are irritated by it. It is this order that points at least in part to a being that could only be expressed as Divine.
While my son was busily watching the "birdie tag"completely unaware of what all those acrobatics were truly representing, he was beginning to see what is so essential in our lives, that living beings, in particular humans, must come to terms with the natural order of things and begin to sense and seek their purpose. The true purpose for the natural order is clearly a revelation of a Divine Being as Romans 1 states. It is designed to cause sinful mankind to seek purpose in his own existence. The older I grow, the more convinced I am that until a person begins to seek the purpose of existence, he is unable to fully touch the plan of the Divine Creator for mankind. It is not say that a child cannot not know God, indeed it is only when we become as children we can truly see Jesus for who He is. Rather it is to say that as we mature, we begin to ask the "why" question.
Once we begin to question the "why?" of our existence, then we are ready to come to terms with the plan God has for our lives. It so maddening to me to meet time and time again people who cannot seem to see the "big picture?" when it comes to God and his plan for mankind. But then I am reminded that so many are blind to the existence or purposes of a Divine Creator. When we battle for truth in our churches and in the public forum, we find that many just do not have a clue. When we quote the Holy Scriptures, the founding fathers or when we seek to teach others of the errors of self-indulgence, we are often rebuffed and mocked because "we just don't get it".
The reality is that we are looking out the windows of life and seeing things just as they really are, perhaps for some it the first time ever. We are seeing that God has placed in this world a natural order and into each human being a particular purpose.
When it comes to those believers who have opportunity to deal with truth at the political level our goal should be to strive for the bigger picture. As we oppose abortions, gay rights, socialism, totalitarian control, the new world order and such, we should keep the bigger picture constantly in view.
Those who oppose our views are really not out to get us (most times) they are simply out of touch with the Divine Creator, his system of Divine Order and his Divine Purpose for their lives. I wonder as we watch the maneuvers of those who are seeking such self-aggrandizement if all we are capable of seeing is birdie tag?Their maneuvers and exploitation of the current political trends is nothing new nor is it really so out of whack with the way people truly act. We must see the true purpose of all of this as those who are taken captive by the devil to do his will as Paul stated in 2 Timothy chapter two.
“Our goal as God's servants then is to not quarrel, gentle (able to remain in control despite the lack of control of others), able to teach (a rarity in many Christian lives; very hard for most of us!), patient (Oh DEAR!) in meekness (power in control) instructing those that oppose themselves (and the truth), that GOD MIGHT GRANT REPENTANCE. ” [emphasis mine]
This verse is often overlooked and under-utilized in the Christian community and certainly seldom used in dealing with the politically charged atmosphere of our state houses and Federal Government. Yet it seeks and demonstrates the true power, order and plan of things for us as God's servants.
We are never to seek the enemy with a literal sword (think Peter on the night of Christ's betrayal), but rather to seek them with the Sword of the Spirit. How we approach the enemy will have a great deal to do with how the enemy responds and counters, as well as how the enemy is defeated. If we think that being in Annapolis will defeat the enemy and win the war then we have a long way to go in seeing the greater picture. But if we see our being there as a means of declaring the truth, despite the circumstances or opposition, then we have begun to see the real measure of 2 Timothy chapter 2 take effect in our lives.
You will not further the Kingdom by strictly testifying in opposition to bills that fall outside of our way of life. But as these testimonies and public process lead us to gently declare God's Word and the truth it represents to desperate and dying individuals, then we will see God advance his kingdom as some of those who oppose themselves are granted repentance and become a part of His great Order and Purpose.
The next time you see sea gulls playing "birdie tag" stop for a moment and contemplate God?'s Divine Order and Purpose and come away a changed believer, seeing in an ever-growing way who we are, what we are here for and where we are headed.
[This Article was originally published by Pastor Matt Sine in the Spring of 2000, when he was director of the Freedom of Religion Coalition in Maryland]