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Rather - 2/2/052005 Archive - 2006 Archive

As we lament what seems to be a squeezing out of God in our society, let us not forget the complexity and diversity of divine power and mystery that are often incomprehensible. While it is true that all that glitters is not God, it is also true that the light shining in the darkness will not be overcome.

Rather than fretting that our vocal prayers through Christ are no longer allowed on school P.A. systems, we would do well to remember to rejoice that men and women of faith are free to exercise grace as teachers and administrators. We can celebrate that children of faith have the opportunity to practice Christian principles in the classroom and on the fields of competition.

Rather than lamenting that a costly marble rock with the Ten Commandments chiseled on it has been removed from a courthouse, we can celebrate the plethora of women and men working in the justice system– judges, lawyers, clerks, and others– who have the opportunity to practice Christ’s teachings and mercy in their jobs.

Rather than bemoaning that someone wants to remove the word God from our currency, we can be diligent to ensure that our businesses are operated in a manner that clearly indicates that we do, in fact and in practice, “trust in God.”

Rather than spending our energy and time fighting over whether our nation’s Pledge of Allegiance should again be altered, we might want to focus on family and community life that unmistakably demonstrates our commitment and desire to live “under God.”

Rather than focusing on whether elected officials know how to weave the rhetoric of faith into their political platforms, we should demand that governmental policies which are enacted will actually fulfill God’s command to serve “the least of these” and will lead us all to “seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

There is much truth in the saying, “Those who own the words own the world.” But those who put their words into action can transform the world. As I understand God’s call, it is to transformation rather than ownership.ns

© 2005 Todd Jenkins