There are so many people who have written and said they cannot stomach the way the National Democratic Convention speakers are portraying America. It seems, they say, that every darkness is being spoken of as something that is good; that everything they say their opponent is doing, they themselves have done or are doing. They say there is no one among them that takes any responsibility for the chaos, disruption and obstruction that has occurred over the past four years by Democratic leadership, yet is all blamed on the President and those who voted for him. After three nights, there is still no presentation of a vision for the future, except an angry America saying everyone’s rights are violated.
In this post-truth world where facts, truth, justice, injustice are all manipulated through sinister people with dark agendas and amplified without vetting across social media and mass media, there is something to think about: What defines you? Are you defined by an issue, such as abortion, traditional marriage, social justice, or economics? Are you defined by political parties? Whatever defines you is where your influence will be. If you are defined by politics, your passion will be imbedded in the political issues and candidates. In these days, if you are over-focused on politics and the news cycle, you likely may be defined by some notion of politics which will result in a whole lot of anxiety and not much satisfaction.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Verse 20 says, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead be you reconciled to God.” Ephesians 4:22-24 says, “That you put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” When you are baptized in Christ, you are a new person, reconciled to God himself. Then are you not to be defined in Christ?
If you look in the mirror and see a person defined in Christ, your influence will reflect that definition. Herein is where much of the “Church” has gotten off track. It is not about the issues or self-improvement or the politics, it is about our mission as Christians. As Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Christ gave us the Great Commission to make disciples, which we haven’t seen much of during the DNC convention. Part of the reason we are observing all the deceiving, accusing, and labeling, may be because we as Christians have not understood what defines us, and our influence has been thereby misplaced. Otherwise the politics wouldn’t influence the Christian, rather the Christian would influence the politics. Think about it.
