Observing the Seasons
Humans are captives of time. There is little to nothing we can do to escape the consequences of time. To cope with our time problem, we have divided it into seasons such as spring, summer, fall, winter. Even those divisions are too large to manage so we create other seasons rainy season, snowy season, etcetera.
In previous columns, I have said my favorite season is Christmas. It seems to me at Christmas humankind is more nearly what God intended us to be than at any other time.
Presently we are in a political season. During this season, humankind seems to be further from God’s intended purposes than at any other time.
During Christmas, the focus is on giving, on others. During the political season, the focus is on getting. Every day I receive letters asking for money so this candidate can beat that candidate “that you surely do not want.”
At Christmas there are rules, some written and some just well known---be kind, help the less fortunate, be sure those folk are included, especially the children. In the political season, there are many people you want to exclude or be sure you know their politics before you get too close.
There seem to be no rules for the political season. Do whatever you can to get your way. If what you do is wrong, find a way to justify it or deny its “wrongness.” People are always lying to each other; even when we know they are lying, people listen. Consequently, nobody believes anybody. While checking facts, a man asked a political friend of mine whether something was true. My friend answered, “If Wade Paris told you that, you can be sure it’s true.” I was honored. Jesus advised that our conversations should be “Yes, yes,” or “No, no.” (Matthew 5:37)
There are minor political seasons every year, though some politicians seem to campaign eternally. How long has it been since you could take a trip without seeing a political sign? Despite these minor seasons, every four years we have a big one. We are presently in the beginning of the big one. Forgive me, but I hate it.
We Americans have cause to be proud of our country, and I am proud. God has blessed us; but if you check the history closely, you will see God has blessed us in spite of us not because of us.
