Monday, November 8, 2004

THE FLOOR DROPPED

Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
35: for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36: I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
37: Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?
38: And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?
39: And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'
40: And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'    Matthew 25: 34-40

 

One of the huge divides in politics is how to deal with the problems in these verses. I don’t want to criticize either side of the political divide-but that said-the earth moved this weekend. Are you kidding it dropped out from under my feet and stopped about ten feet down.

 

We were watching the mini series Jesus of Nazareth (excellent program by the way and far superior to The Passion) and they got to this set if verses, I suddenly felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. All the money spent on both sides of the campaigns, all the energy expended, all the anger, all the ads that ripped both candidates up one side and down the other, and for what? It didn’t feed one hungry child, cloth one homeless person, or visit anyone in prison. In fact I’m not even sure the subject came up.

 

If I’d been raised a Calvinist I guess I could say I got body slammed by a conversion experience. All I know is it hurt. I suddenly felt stripped. If our society can’t fulfill that commission then the rest of it doesn’t matter a damn.

 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

All that is very true...  But, election politics aside, I feel the Democratic platform will come a lot closer than the Republican one to fulfilling that commission.  After all, Mr. Bush is out spending his "political capital" on increasing the deficit, screwing Social Security, and probably creating the climate for another war or two.  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

Well, I mentioned that I have Biblical reasons for voting Democrat, and you just quoted some of the biggest.  It can punch you in the gut when you realize how far away from moral action we as a culture have moved.

Anonymous said...

I am torn daily with the need to understand how moralists refuse to practice humanism.  It seems so simple; however, it is not done.

Anonymous said...

You know I had the same experience when I heard what was spent on the campaigns. It's sad where our collective values REALLY lie. :-( ---Robbie