Faith Does Not Function in a Vacuum – Psalm 52
Please read the entire psalm! I am posting only a few verses from the NIV translation:
vs 2 “Your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit.”
vs 3 “You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth.”
vs 7 “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others.”
vs 8 “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love.”
Some believe that the Christian faith no longer functions and has no relevance anymore. I would ask them to read Psalm 52 in its entirety. Then consider the current culture and the new political administration. In the original setting of this psalm, David was contending with Saul who had lost his emotional and mental health and also favor with God. Yet is shares truths that are timeless, especially in the beginning of 2025 in our country.
Now I am a big proponent of the separation of church and state. I am also committed to speaking truth in love to authority. Most recently we heard of an Episcopal bishop who attempted to do that and was shamed by the attendee in chief. Really? She was just doing her job!
I am wondering who was paying any attention to her sermon. I have been there. When the text for the day clashes with current cultural trends or sanctioned world events, it is too easy to be accused of politicizing the gospel. And many seem “to not have ears to hear.” Don’t forget, Jesus Messiah was a rather radical human on this earth. The gospel is revolutionary, and it does not occur in a vacuum on our planet.
We remember that the disciples were still looking for someone who would take civil authority from the Roman rule and help them recreate the nation of Israel with its past glory. Jesus didn’t come to do that. He came to save us from ourselves and the unhelpful and unfulfilling ways we relate to each other. He came to show us a new way: repent for the Kingdom of God is near. Repent means to change our minds. Once again we have the chance to do that.
Biblical history does not include a representative democracy. It was a new creation from the Age of the Enlightenment in human history. I don’t believe our country is a new Israel either. Our form of government is still an experiment—a new creation. Recent events, from a worldwide pandemic to the rise of more authoritarian governments worldwide, reveal some weaknesses in representative democracy. The fear of becoming a fascist state ironically seems to have blinded us to the possibility of an oligarchy forming under our noses. We humans have tried and recycled various forms of civil order from Theocracy, Feudalism, Monarchy, Marxism, Communism, Fascism, Dictatorships and etc. So far nothing seems to have stayed very long. So maybe its not a great idea to return to any of these forms. The issues that the founding Fathers could not have anticipated and the errors they made from their own cultural biases are screaming for revision. There are gaps in how power is assigned and used. Dangers lurk for lack of accountability and the power of money seems to interfere with open honest dialog. Systemic dysfunctions create a circus of the civil contract we are attempting to follow. Maybe a two party system is less than ideal. Some groups are disenfranchised and their voices not honored in the discussions. Listening to all views and taking time to reach consensus takes – well, maybe too much time. Managing the details of collective community according to principles of freedom, equality, and fraternity was always a rather daunting task. Most people want someone to tell them what to do because it is sooo much easier than negotiating with other people to come to a consensus about where the traffic light is best situated to protect citizens and who should weed their flower bed and mow their grass because it’s an eyesore in the neighborhood.
We are passing through another cycle of civil uncertainty which does cause a mixture of emotions, especially anxiety. Chaos seems to be winning. I am not sure we have chosen the best solution. There is no real mandate according to the total number of votes cast. It was a very tight race, and we appear to be a people significantly divided. Just saying… that’s my perspective of the truth.
Perhaps one lesson to learn is how to manage our emotions. Remember that emotions are real, and they also come and go. They change with our perceptions and beliefs. One way to thrive in the confusion is to listen to each other and to trust that God is ultimately in charge. Some interactions trigger strong reactions, and the challenge is to remain detached enough to consider all possibilities and respect the opinion of others. As believers we desire to follow Jesus’ teachings: to take care of the marginalized, show hospitality to the stranger, to feed the hungry and cloth those who are in need, and to stay in constant contact with the source of all love and light through worship and prayer.
The human species is a work in progress. I believe we have the leaders we deserve for now, probably because we were not totally paying attention in the past and were complacent in our responsibilities to care for our neighbors. Our next goal might be to deserve better leadership through our own lives, beliefs and actions. We truly are all on this planet together. What more do we need to see to prove that point of view? I can hear my mother’s voice saying, “Be careful what you ask for!” We have to learn to live together- play nice. Decide to be better workers for the Kingdom of God. Committ to follow Jesus. Time is running short.
For your consideration:
Here are some useful suggestions. Choose one and tell me why you chose that one to move forward in discipleship:
1. Stay positive! Remember who you are: A child of the living God.
2. Get off the anxiety couch and take some action. Volunteer in your community.
3. Don’t post anything that is mean-spirited. Work to redeem social media.
4. Stop watching social media that triggers your negativity. Don’t give it so much of your attention. Set a limit to 30 minutes a day at most.
5. Fact check the news. Follow media that does not show bias.
6. Respect other opinions and also share yours in love with respect and without shouting! Learn to say, “I respect your point of view. I believe…”
7. Avoid negativity and optimize your boundary setting skills.
8. Avoid the blame game at all costs.
9. Pray for wisdom for all leadership in all levels of government and in all civil institutions.