It’s Time for Adulting

This Cycle of Elections

Dear Patheos Friends: Slowly catching up on all messages related to this cycle of elections we just had. As spiritual leaders, there is so much responsibility in this hour to steward people’s hearts and lives by pointing them to the Savior of the world- Jesus Christ. This post is short and a guide to the source of all answers – God’s Word. One thing that makes any democracy of the world work is the engagement and participation of the people. There was high engagement this cycle of elections.

The Great Experiment

That happened in this cycle of elections we just completed, where the people spoke through their votes and selected an elected President and Vice President. This is how this USA experiment in self-governance has worked for over 248 years (as of July 4, 2024). I am preaching to the choir on this, we all know this well. But that seems not to be the case with the wide range of responses we have seen to the results of this cycle of elections. The people voted their choice. It looks like we are missing something and we could all use some gentle reminders.

Massive Infection

The American system selects its President and Vice President through a party system (we have two major party system). Through the years, this is how we have elected our leaders. And we know this happens every four years. It is the American way. This cycle of elections is no different. However, what is different is the massive infection in our culture. People are getting attacked for engaging their voting rights as Americans for their choice of leaders. That is unAmerican. And best of all for the church collective, it is unChristlike.

Similar to Homeostasis

This is the American way- people vote their choice, their values, their conscience- the list goes on and on. So, if people have done that in this cycle of elections, why attack them for doing their civic responsibility. The last we all checked, God is the One that is Judge of every life He created. All humans answer to Him. It seems we have forgotten that the American people (no matter who they are) have the right to their votes and their choices.  As in science, where the process of homeostasis is self-regulating to ensure balance within the body system, our election cycle is in a similar manner.

Time for Adulting

One of my young adult friends shared a word with me last week, “adulting.” In simple layman terms, the word means- responsible behavior – grown up. This is exactly what 1 Corinthians 13: 11 states. It says, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” For the church collective, this is the call of the hour. We have our work cut out for us: time to stand in the gap of prayer, time to disciple our nation, time to love our neighbor for real, time to ensure everyone has the opportunity to hear the good news of salvation, time to live out the infallible Word of God to a world that needs hope, love, and guidance. There is power in God’s Word- for this very hour. For more insights from God’s Word, check out Oasis of Hope Podcast. And in case I don’t get around to another post here before Thanksgiving- Happy Thanksgiving Patheos Friends! Grateful to God for you!