So the election season is over. Well most of it is over. I am one that believes that if there is a run off that it should be held the NEXT week. I can hear the universal groan when we are faced with another month of election rhetoric.
Winners and Losers. That is how we usually frame elections. Somebody won and somebody else lost. The Losers will fade into the background shortly after they are demonized. The winners will take center stage and be given their opportunity to make a difference.
It is kind of interesting to note that Jesus won the popular vote of his time. The crowds followed him. They would follow him to be healed and fed. Of course his crowds were usually the "losers" of the society. Jesus hung out with sinners and tax collectors. He did not mind being with the "untouchables". Every once in a while the rich would come seeking a healing or asking a question. But most of the time Jesus' friends were the popular losers of the day.
At the point where Jesus started really getting serious with his message, some of his followers began to leave. His message was too hard to follow. Jesus' concept of grace and forgiveness was too graceful and too forgiving. His idea of discipleship was too demanding. It was at this point Jesus turned to his most intimate group of disciples and said, "Are you going to leave too?" Interesting question.
Did Jesus fear he was losing those whom he had won?
We seldom think of Jesus wondering about losing. After all he is Jesus. But I have to remember that Jesus WAS fully human. There were times when he wondered if he was losing the battle and the war. He was tired of being demonized by the religious right. He was confronted with the movement of public opinion away from what God intended. There is no doubt that he was affected by those who left as well as those who stayed.
The lesson in all of this for me is that sometimes the framework of the world is not the framework of the kingdom. In the kingdom of God you are willing to lose all that is around you for the great pearl of the kingdom. In this world, you can win everything life has to offer and lose eternity.
A very successful politician sat alone in his office the day after the election. He had won the night before by a landslide. It was an emotion he had experienced many times before. However, this one was different. In previous days he had won the election by tearing apart all that confronted him. This election he changed his strategy. His strategy from now on was to do the right thing. The right thing was lifting up the good in life. The right thing was correcting the damage he had inflicted in days past. In his own mind, he was transformed from a politician into a statesman. How did this happen?
He held in his hand a note from his grandaughter. The note said, "You are my hero because you always do good!" He realized that this was an invitation from God to become a real winner. He made the commitment that day to become her hero. He knew that it would only happen with a God presence in life. His greatest fear now was not losing an election, but losing God presence and God direction.
What about you? Winner or Loser?
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.stlukesimpson.org
www.midweekmanna.com
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