A WORD FROM WILL

A WORD FROM WILL

In the wake of political uprising following the Kenyan Supreme Court’s decision to nullify an alleged fraudulent election result, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta went on the record after being informed he will have to rerun for his presidential seat.

“Your neighbor will still be your neighbor regardless of whatever has happened,” Kenyatta said in a speech to calm Kenyans upset with the ruling. “Regardless of their political affiliation, regardless of their religion, regardless of their color, regardless of their tribe.”

While this statement was made addressing the Kenyan people, I cannot think of a stronger and more relevant message for the American public.

This past year has been hard on the United States, and has forced many people to rethink how we treat our fellow Americans. I watched the news as racial tension and political toxicity gradually formed factions among neighbors. Civility went down the gutter. Rationality took a jab in the chest.

I cannot imagine how hard it is for someone without an established biblical worldview to explain how people can be so cruel to their neighbors, their friends or their family. Some believe human nature is innately evil, while some choose to ignore the matter altogether.

But for us Liberty students and fellow Christians alike who have the blessing of knowing the truth, we have an obligation. Rather than succumbing to the monotonous and seemingly endless political debate of the world, we should be sharing — through both our words and actions — how Christ can do much more for this country than Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and company.

I believe it is safe to say we have not done a good enough job of this.

I have met Christians who would much rather discuss how abolishing Medicare for those in need or how building a wall to keep our nation’s neighbors out will save this country more than how God, and God alone, can save this country and the people within it.

Christians are often portrayed in the media as a voting bloc, rather than a group that prioritizes Christ and his teachings, and I believe there is a valid reason why. Some evangelical leaders of this country use their pulpit to preach Republican values instead of Christian values, and Christians encourage it.

We focus on electing Christian leaders of this nation to pass Christian-friendly legislation that is often killed before it reaches the president’s desk. We talk about bills — on anything from pro-life legislation to tax reform — like they are Scripture. We rely more on our men and women in Washington to change our lives than we do our God.

Granted, not all Christians fall under this category, and I do not want to be mistaken as generalizing Christians as a whole. I would actually say a majority of Christians — including many at this university — are convinced that constant prayer and pursuit towards Christ can change the world.

Only when we as Christians become more unified, though, to drown out the angry, political and nonsensical noise that is preached from our fellow believers can we be seen to the rest of the world as a loving and benevolent group of society and not just a political action committee.

I think it is safe to say that preaching Reaganism and Republican stump speeches is poor discipleship, and labeling ourselves as political activists before we label ourselves as Christians is dangerous.

It is dangerous not only because it hurts the reputation of Christians worldwide, but even more so because it hinders our opportunities as disciples of Jesus Christ to spread his message effectively across the globe.

It must stop now.

 

Young is the editor-in-chief.