POTUS
Back in November, right after Donald Trump won the election, I learned of a very disturbing situation. A Latina classmate of my daughter was in line at a Dunkin' Donuts to buy coffee when a white and a black guy standing right behind her started to talk out loud about why Trump’s win was necessary. They loudly expressed why the wall was needed and they condescendingly asked the young lady directly if she was illegal, explaining why she needed to be shipped out of the USA! This high school student was in tears all day over this incident. My daughter, Gina, the school counselor, and many others tried to bring her comfort.
This country is divided and Christians must rise up so that the words
of Jesus Christ will not be
ignored by black and white people like the two men described above. Why are we divided? BECAUSE we are fallen, sinful people. David Jeremiah, a well-known evangelical
leader, reluctantly promoted Trump (I was at the Verizon Center at his Stand Up
Tour when he said it) because of the potential supreme court nominee that could
help promote traditional marriage and the life of the unborn. Unfortunately, David Jeremiah is blinded and deceived
by Satan (Sorry David – I do think you’re a godly an and you mean well, just
like Peter meant well in Matt 16:22) because his hope is in this world or in
this country (Matt 16:23) and not ultimately in Jesus Christ. What we need is not laws that promote
Christianity. What we need are
Christians who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, even if it means we suffer
in our own country! The goal is not to
make America Great again nor make the environment favorable to a Christian
world-view and value system. No,
instead, the goal is to be faithful to God. Period! I know I’m not there myself, but I am clear
about what the goal should be.
Consider this: If there were more devout disciples of Jesus Christ, and
one of them was also in the line with this young woman, they could have protected
the young lady and called the two men to repent and develop rightful godly character. This is what Jesus would have done. He touched the leaper in front of crowds of people
who would surely be shocked (Matt 8:1-4).
He caused the older men to walk away from condemning a woman caught in adultery
and then called her to develop godly character (John 8:2-11*). He healed the child and the servant of
foreigners – a Canaanite and Roman Centurion (Matt 15:21-28 and Matt 8:5-13). As Christians, we must do the same, dying to
ourselves and representing the TRUTH regardless of the consequences to our own
lives. We must stand against the devil’s
schemes which includes standing against those that preach and teach division,
hatred, and godlessness. We must hate
what is evil (adultery, three marriages – two to eye-candy beauty pageant
models, prejudice, not giving to Caesar what is Caesar's – i.e. not paying taxes,
impatience, arrogance and over-confidence, pride, violence, greed and more) and
cling to what is good! (Rom 12:9).
For my brothers and sisters in Christ who voted for Donald Trump,
please understand this – you voted for an overtly sinful and ungodly man (Mrs. Clinton isn't as overt, but she too does not stand for the things of God).
Maybe President Trump will change – I pray he does. But also understand the power of symbolism
and image and icons. Like Jesus said, we simply need to be wise and shrewd (Read
Luke 16:8 and the entire chapter of Luke 16). The American presidency, among many, many other
things, is highly symbolic. When Obama
spoke as a citizen about affirming gay marriage, the imagery and power
of the icon had great impact. Unless
Trump changes, his new role will also have powerful iconic impact, from building
walls to pre-judging Muslims!
Don’t you get it? “What people
value highly is detestable in God’s sight.” (Luke 16:15). You see, a specific
world-view and value system was completely infused in Mr. Trumps campaign for
the presidency from the very beginning–it was not hidden. Think about what that value system and
world-view entailed. First it was firmly
planted in terra-firma, that is – in this world and what you get out of it. Secondly, it was nationalistic – all about the
United States of America and had NOTHING to do with anything or anyone else. Thirdly, it was based on worldly power (I’m
spending my own money, I’m not a puppet to anyone, I make deals….) It was not based on characteristics such as love,
peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, selflessness, grace, integrity, honesty,
generosity, and the like. And Trumps value
system and worldview was definitely not based on anything eternal.
Maybe you voted for Trump, not thinking about young ladies like my daughter’s
classmate. Maybe you voted against
Hillary Clinton because she too is ungodly and was untrustworthy, exemplified
by the email scandal among other things.
She at least admitted the private email server was stupid and that she
wouldn’t do it again. I’m not saying her
worldview and value system was aligned with the Apostle Paul or Barnabas or
Luke the doctor who wrote the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. If you were, however, voting for the lesser of
two evils, and you voted for Trump, you made a misjudgment. The icon imagery for Mrs. Clinton is very different. Stick with your cheating husband – a message
of grace and forgiveness (stupidity to some and/or opportunistic to others, but
the imagery at least paves a way for forgiveness). She apologized
when caught regarding the email scandal (was it sincere - Only God knows).
Consider the message that women can accomplish great things, including
becoming President. And –at least
publically – she accepts all people, regardless of ethnicity, heritage,
background, creed. And of course, her value
system includes the two big ungodly practices of abortion and gay marriage (Note that at this time, I currently see these two things in the scriptures as ungodly. To those who differ with me, pleas know that love and support does not equal agreement), but guess what – so does President Trump. In fact, both of these practices are already here and as
Christians we simply do not have to participate. However, as Christians we do need to love people - agape love. In fact, even if forced to “cater” to a gay marriage as a baker of wedding cakes
or to provide a venue for weddings, I can still say “NO” even if it meant that I must go to jail! The point is: be a Christian first – a disciple of
Jesus Christ, and not an American or Canadian or Chinese or Britt or Nigerian
or Trinidadian or Mexican or Inuit or Navaho or Iraqi or Egyptian or Burmese, any
other ethnicity or nationality on God’s green earth! We can celebrate such diversity but as it is written, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil 3:20).
I hope and pray that Trump will grow into the job and actually develop
the character of a man who – at least on the outside – considers and acts on what
is sacred in the eyes of many. This is
needed in order to be the head of state for the United States of America; to
wield the power of life and death over thousands, especially as commander and
Chief of the most powerful military force on the planet; to represent a very diverse
population; and to protect the country with the largest economy and 6th
largest in GDP per capita. I hope and pray Mr. Trump will wake up and say to
himself, “I must rise to this task” and develop the character that is expected
and needed for this job. Otherwise, more
young women, families and people will be hurt – and not just from overt
prejudice in conversation held on purpose in earshot to hurt feelings, but
physically, financially and spiritually hurt because the worldview, value
system and iconic power that Donald Trump currently brandishes will encourage,
inspire and embolden more overt behavior similar to that of the two men (one black
and one white) standing behind an innocent child who happens to be Latina.
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