Thoughts on the DNC

I watched almost four hours of the Democratic National Convention last night. Though I was raised to be an active part of the political process - stuffing mailers for political candidates, participating in demonstrations, etc - sometime during college I fell further and further behind in keeping up with the issues.

I don't usually talk politics, but it isn't for lack of interest. The political process has always fascinated me, and yet the sheer amount of time it would take to keep up with candidates, current legislation and the like is daunting. Now that election season is upon us I find myself ignorant, yet curious about the two major candidates. Obama particularly fascinates me because no one seems to know where he came from. Suddenly he is an international celebrity. Why? I turned on the DNC to find out.

I was raised a Republican, so I felt like I was attending someone else's high school reunion. I don't really know the faces or names that well. And the names I do know, well, I will just say they were not popular in our household. The speaker lineup included Nancy Pelosi, Teddy Kennedy, and Michelle Obama. The agenda was clear - everyone was singing Obama's praises. No one can blame them for that. This is their pep rally before the big game.

The longer I watched the more fascinated I became. I really liked the videos they compiled of each speaker that showed pictures of their home life, their family, their hobbies. I have heard Teddy Kennedy's name since I was a little girl but I never knew how much he loved sailing, or how he was known for his sense of humor. I liked hearing Michelle Obama talk about growing up on the South Side of Chicago, her dad's battle with MS, and the beginning of her relationship with Obama. They became "people" to me instead of political figures.

Now I am not easily won over by emotion or distracted from the issues by a political show like the DNC. It is a four day infomercial designed to "sell" the party to whoever tunes in. The political agenda and belief system of many of these candidates is chilling, to say the least.

But here is what I am thinking through... as evangelical Christians involved in the political process I think we often forget that we are dealing with people for whom Christ died. In our frenzy to protect our freedoms and "do the right thing" our mission of Christian love is thrown to the side. We become angry over what they are doing and then become angry at the people themselves. They become our enemies. We forget that they are people with families, hopes, dreams, heartaches. Many have given their lives to public service, convinced (just as we are) that their beliefs are worthy of sacrifice. We say that we "hate the sin, but love the sinner". Is that true when it comes to politics?

I started to think about how Jesus would act if he were attending the DNC. Jesus, who ate with the tax collectors and sinners. Jesus, who revealed himself to the woman at the well. Jesus, who pursued Saul - the most anti-Christian political activist of his time, and turned him into Paul, the great apostle. I think if Jesus were attending the DNC he would see beyond the issues to the people and reach out to them. Granted, I think he would speak the TRUTH, just as he always does. But he would speak it in love.

But that is the hard road. That's why we don't do it. It is much easier to fight if we don't have to love at the same time. It is easier to condemn those who see things differently than to view them through God's eyes. Probably because it is impossible for us to do it without God's love flowing through us, and that requires a living, active fellowship with Jesus.

All of these thoughts reminded me of a little incident I read recently in a biography of Henrietta Mears. Henrietta was known for her genuine, Christ-like love for people and she was instrumental in the life and ministry of missionaries and pastors around the globe including Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) and Billy Graham. In an effort to reach out to the celebrities in Hollywood, she started a little Christian group for them where they could meet together and learn about Jesus. On one occasion, Ruth Bell Graham visited the group with her. One of the actresses was giving her testimony. Here is the excerpt from the book:

At first, Ruth thought to herself, How can this woman, who plays such questionable roles on the screen, talk this way about Christ? Then, in the midst of her skeptical thoughts, Ruth became aware of Henrietta muttering under her breath, "Bless her heart! I just love that girl. She is the dearest person."

Some time later Ruth Graham wrote to friends: It was a good thing that Miss Mears couldn't hear my thoughts when that actress was giving her testimony... I sat there looking at this movie star like the chief of the Pharisees, but Miss Mears was encouraging her. See what I mean? Some of us talk about love, but Miss Mears loves. No wonder God uses her!