Is It (Really) Not About Us?

Many people have been singing this song, “It’s Not About Us, It’s All About Jesus.” Side note: yes, that song samples The Brothers Johnson’s I’ll Be Good To You (ha ha). Anyway, well I know your intentions are good, but if the truth be told, we’re lying (to others and really to ourselves). Now, if this blog post doesn’t offend anyone, I’ll be surprised. I just wanted to make this disclaimer up front. I know many people are emotionally tied to what I’m going to talk about, but I want you to read this with an open mind if you can. If I’m a little scatterbrained with this, please forgive me.

Within a few weeks the election will occur. I hear a lot of comments and read a lot of comments on my news feed about the debates and how strong people feel about people. I’m still concerned even after 12 years (since the 2000 election) that too many emotions are flying and people are voting and praying for their way and not God's way. People have been throwing stones at me for 12 years because I make that statement. Keep in mind, I’m not telling you who to vote and I love you as a brother/sister regardless of who you vote for. I also ask for the same respect in return. I believe with all my heart that if you pray and God tells you to vote a certain way, go with God because you can’t go wrong. Now if you pray based off your emotions, indecision and fear, then something is terribly wrong. Don’t worry; I’m not to judge you for that’s not my place. We can play the "I love God, but I still want my way." Our emotions will fail us. We still haven't learned from the children of Israel when they demanded a king (they were trying to be like Egypt). So many people want to go back to Egypt thinking they can live on top of the world. Either way, whoever gets elected, many people are going to cry foul (and forget God in the midst of this). It's been like that for 12 years. We can sing all day long, it's not about us, but we're lying.

If I came up and said something like this, “I promise to give a certain group of people certain rights because they’re my people and we’re to look out for the poor; however, the caveat is that I want you to depend on us for your retirements, benefits, etc,” would you vote for me? Now if Jesus were to say this quietly in your spirit (but you don’t hear because you’re too busy running your mouth, venting about the debates): “do not vote Democrat or Republican,” how would you respond? I can tell some people are in the flesh and are actually upset with me right now because I said that.

I knew someone 12 years ago who told me the following, “I don’t consider you black if you’re not a Democrat.” I didn’t respond, I wanted to sit on it and just ponder the fact that I didn’t realize that my skin-color was automatically tied to a political party. Just for the record, I’m independent and have been since I was 18. Any regrets? No. So, this post is going to be from a neutral standpoint. If you’re expecting me to take any side, think again! You can say I’m apathetic, or whatever you like. I have to stand before God when I vote just like you have to stand before God when you vote.

I have a series of questions that I want to ask:

1. Why are we still looking to our leaders to solve our problems and to accept responsibility over ourselves? Every problem our leaders come up with requires their attention and their solution.
2. Why do we vote more for someone who is the slave-master versus the abolitionist? We trust the kidnapper, rapist, and murderer because he promised he’s changed, but we don’t trust those who gave his life for our freedom because the master doesn’t trust them.
3. Do you believe that social programs belong to the church and the family, not the government?
4. How does color and politics overshadow your relationship with Christ?
5. I dedicate this question to African-Americans, if I came up and said I’m an atheist while professing to be a Christian (and I’m running for president), would you still vote for me? And if non-blacks don’t vote, would you throw the race card at them?
6. How does Genesis 26:12-22 correlate to today? Isaac was blessed by God and other people were coming to take Isaac’s blessing from him. God continued to bless Isaac and people were still coming to steal Isaac’s blessing. I believe we take blessings from others because we are complacent and don’t want to put our hands to the plow for ourselves.

There’s something I see that really bothers me (and I’m sure it’s been going on before I was born). It’s wrong when a man can’t be in the house with their children because welfare and other aid are shut off. On the flipside, women are encouraged to have more children because their aid and government services would be increased. To me, welfare doesn’t mean just payments to a family for basic subsistence; it also includes a system to discourage marriage and the participation of a man in the household.

Next topic: The 10^th commandment says you shall not covet. If you desire something that doesn’t belong to you, it’s coveting (period)! If the truth be told, the Bible is against a lot of the Republican values, Democratic values, and even our own personal values. This is why we are to base our values on the Bible. But no, we put our pastor, president (elect and actual), religion and denomination over the Bible. And if anybody attacks our pastor, president (elect and actual), religion and denomination, we will drop our sanctification and curse/fight, and the list goes on. And don’t attack sin in my life, but I can attack yours. Most of you know me, I’ll confess mine because I’m human and I screw up.

Here’s a little sidebar. Think about this: We care more about our political feelings than we do someone who is hurting. Understand, we must be there to uplift and help propel one another to their God given destiny. Far too many times I realized in life that people have become mediocre in their mindset, they view their lives like this, “if I don't have help, I'm not helping anyone else.” In this case we know it’s wrong. Many Christians have the mentality of, “if you’re getting ahead of me, I must to all that I can to hinder that.” A lot of times that comes with themselves in their past to hurt others as they've been. There’s a saying that goes “hurting people hurt people” regardless of who they may be. 

Jesus was up all times of the night and early mornings delivering and setting free those who were bound to the enemy’s attacks. We as Messengers of the Word of God must be likeminded. We are in this together. There is no “I” in team. Unity is the key to help others. To many have this misconception that it’s all about me and when I finish me I'll help you. No! Christ said deny yourself. And that means one must deny themselves in the area of me, me, me and say Lord I decrease that You may increase within me.

Jesus dealt with that mess with the Pharisees, called them vipers and accepting who He was but denying the power.

Now that may be a little off-tangent, but still relevant to the topic. Continuing on. There are many people in church that say, “I’m allowed to think freely.” I disagree. There are many religions that don’t allow you to think freely. Now if a church says that abortion is allowed for rape or incest, then you must take on that principle or you could be excommunicated. So, if your church is praying for a particular leader, then there’s a strong possibility that you have to be a part of it, or risk getting out (or hearing grips from members of the congregation as to why you’re not a part of this prayer). I have a belief that many people don’t want to pray for someone lost because there will come a day where a leader is so lost, that people will bow down to that lost leader! Sadly, many people will confront you if you disagree with your church leader (and they really are in error). The worse thing you can do is shut down when truth is presented. If what you’re hearing doesn’t sound right, please research it (I don’t care if it’s a political figure, or church figure – please don’t do it to support your personal agenda, do it in search of the truth). Since I’m on prayer, let’s stay on that topic. It bothers me when we do prayer vigils for a political figure, but not for someone who’s suffering from abuse, mental and/or personality disorders (known or hidden), who just needs a touch from the Lord. Prayer vigils for a political figure is just proving that it’s still about us!

Let me wrap this up with some bullet points:

1. I thought the Declaration of Independence gave us inalienable rights
2. I have a few predictions of what will happen November 6^th, 2012, but I will give you this one: stones will be thrown for people who write-in this election (from all groups of people).
3. It’s sad that there are laws that decide which groups are special (and you can yell discrimination if challenged).
4. Some people think if we remove God from the equation, we can make it work. And look what we have: fears, hatred, backstabbing, etc. With this point, I still believe God will give us what mankind has always wanted – a world without God.
5. I said 12 years ago and it still holds true: If we don’t get our way, we will rebel until we get our way. If anybody invades my personal space, prepare for a showdown. We should never put our faith in the election. Because we do, this proves my theory that it IS all about us.