The U.S. Election vs. The Kingdom of God

Yesterday there was a lot of emotion in America.  President Barack Obama secured his re-election bid over the Republican challenger Mitt Romney in a marathon campaign that involved a lot of mud-slinging on both sides.

Ironically in my position at the school I work at I have been teaching this week in our morning assemblies on The Beatitudes; those 8 blessings Jesus delivers in Matthew’s gospel at the Sermon on the Mount.  That morning I centered on :

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons of God (Matthew 5:9)

We tend to take the blessings of Jesus (Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, Blessed are the meek etc.) as quaint little platitudes that he wanted us to try to implement where and when we could.

Followers of Christ must instead see the Beatitudes for what they truly are; the guidelines of behavior for those who identify themselves as citizens in the new Kingdom that he is establishing.  An identifying characteristic of being a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven is that you are a Peacemaker!

And Peacemakers are loved right?  Surely everyone loves a person who brings peace?

Before you answer, remember it took only 3 years before Jesus announced these “royal Kingdom guidelines”  and began himself to live them out to their full expression before the Prince of Peace was executed by a mob.

So, after the assembly I began to monitor the election as it progressed and interacted with others via Facebook and Twitter.  When Gov. Romney finally lost, you’d think for some people civilization itself had ended.  I posted on Facebook a number of times and interacted with numerous friends trying to bring peace and a measure of proper perspective.  Safe to say, many people still don’t like peacemakers.

Then a number of posts began to show up on Facebook by Romney supporters that said something along the lines of “Well, Jesus is still in control” or “Jesus is still King”.

STILL in control?  STILL King?

Like somehow it’s OK if our guy lost because we have a backup?

Newsflash (and I have to say this nice or I lose my credibility as a “peacemaker”) but Jesus was ALWAYS in control and ALWAYS King.  He was King regardless of which side won.

The Prince of Peace, The Alpha and the Omega, the I AM, is not, and never can be, someone’s consolation prize.

Brian Zahnd says in his book Beauty will Save the World

“Jesus is building his church, not a political party.  And I’m absolutely certain that political partisanship costs us our prophetic voice.  We end up a tool to one side, an enemy to the other, and prophetic to neither.”

Friends have questioned my “peacemaking” wondering if I have changed allegiance. (One friend even asked if I had become “a lousy lib”)

Well, I suppose in a way I have…but not in the way you might think.  See I truly believe Jesus is King.  His ways and the attributes that identify me as being a citizen in his kingdom are the priority for me.  I will bring peace to situations, I will hunger for justice, and I will extend mercy.

I love government service!  I even got a Masters in Public Administration at one point because of my anticipated entry into government work.  And now I am finally working for a government.

You see, I am an Ambassador of the Kingdom of God.  I humbly serve at His Majesty’s pleasure and if you ask me why I don’t get more worked up more over Romney’s loss to Obama in the U.S. Presidential race.

Well, my answer would have to be that because of my government position, I don’t lose sleep over small town politics.