Monday, November 4, 2024
Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Election tomorrow
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.
I watched football games Saturday and Sunday, and kept the remote nearby so I could mute the election commercials. It will be over soon. I look forward to a bit more freedom to express whatever opinions I might have, and more readiness to listen to yours, especially when we don’t exactly agree.
The communities I notice around me – my neighbors, the church we attend, our family in Austin and in Illinois – are real and strong. Our opinions about politics mostly aren’t a big deal.
At the same time, the bigger systems of politics, religion and news media don’t inspire me with their integrity. All these systems seem to be seeking more votes, listeners, or converts, without listening much to its prospects.
Winn Collier, who wrote a biography of Eugene Peterson, had a few things to say on Sunday:
The political machine is broken, and it is breaking us.
We cannot remove ourselves from our responsibilities to our nation, our home we share with others. But we’ve all watched our political (meaning public, communal, or social) life disintegrate. Our tribal mentality, purposeful lies, either-or choices, and contempt for one another are not conducive to wisdom. And we are desperate for wisdom, because we don’t need merely zeal to win but rather the deep conviction emerging from a profound vision about who we are, who we might be, and how we’re working toward a common life where in the end, we’re not left with being merely allies or enemies.
In his work with married couples John Gottman describes “four horsemen of the apocalypse,” four communication styles that can predict the end of a relationship: criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, and contempt.
Within the intimacy of marriage, contempt is truly cruel when we treat our partner with disrespect, mock them with sarcasm, ridicule them and call them names, mimic their actions or roll our eyes. Our goal is to make the other feel despised and worthless, so we can assume a position of moral superiority over the other.
Ugly in marriage, but also very visible in those election ads.
My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty. I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. Instead I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
In this quiet place, created by God for us to dwell together with him, we can avoid the ugliness of criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling and contempt. As we settle into this personal peace, God asks us to act, make ourselves more public, move into society, into politics and even religion. He doesn’t force us, of course. He loves us whether we step out or not. But he will always ask.
When you hold a banquet, Jesus said to the Pharisees, don’t invite your wealthy neighbors or your relatives. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, those unable to repay you. You will be repaid later, at the resurrection of the righteous.
Winn Collier referred to a non-manipulative guide to voting which asks me five questions:
- What are you passionate about?
- How would the candidates meet your needs?
- How will the candidates meet the needs of your community?
- How will the candidates affect our culture?
- If your vote determines the outcome of the election, would you regret how you voted? (We seek to steward our vote in a way that reflects what we concluded (imperfectly because we are human) would be best for our neighbors.
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
 (Philippians 2, Psalm 131, John 8, Luke 14)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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