Post-election thoughts

/ faithsweatandtears / 2 Comments

An Open Letter to the Republican Party:

Some lessons, unfortunately, are learned the hard way. If the Republican Party has any hope of succeeding in 2016, then we desperately need a public image overhaul. The stereotype of a wealthy white man who is out of touch with middle-class society is outmoded and must change. Many Republicans are persons of color, young parents, college students and women.

I am in my late 30s, a mother of five who not only works full-time, but is mere semesters away from completing a doctorate. And, oh, by the way, my husband is currently overseas on his third military deployment. You might see that I have five children and judge me or otherwise make assumptions about what you think my life is like, but you have no idea. You don’t know my family’s backstory, and you certainly don’t know what I’m capable of accomplishing. I am no one’s trophy wife. I am a leader, in my own right.

The Republican Party must not only acknowledge but also welcome women into leadership. It should no longer be the exception for a woman to run for public office, and those already in office must stop making the type of off-the-cuff, asinine remarks that offend the very women they claim to support. It should go without saying that the 2016 ticket absolutely must have a woman on the team.

Your fellow Republicans also include small business owners, white- and blue-collar workers, members of the military and people earnestly seeking gainful employment. Many of us are gravely concerned about the deplorable state of our nation’s economy and the very real risks to national security that go undiscussed in mainstream media.

Republicans must also take the lead on changing the face of government. If an elected official has served more than a couple of terms, then they should consider stepping down voluntarily to pave the way for new faces with fresh ideas. Stop talking about how much things need to change while making a career out of being a politician.

This election season has been a difficult lesson for the Republican Party to endure, but it is also an opportunity to reevaluate ourselves and our strategy, going forward. And go forward, we must.

Second String (Prayer Devotional for the week of November 4, 2012)

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The man we know of as King David started out as the youngest son in a large family – certainly not destined for greatness by anyone’s standards, in those days. He was relegated to tending sheep back home while his big brothers held seemingly more important roles, like serving in the military. David wasn’t on the Varsity team. He didn’t play first chair. He didn’t compete in the top heat. He probably would have even been the last one called in a game of Red Rover (and they would have locked their arms together, just for the fun of knocking the wind out of him as he tried to run through … not that I’m speaking from any bitter childhood memories of my own, ahem). By all accounts, David could have been easily overlooked. And yet, look what God did in his life!

Wes King released a song in the early ’90s titled “Second String” (The Robe, Reunion Records). The lyrics relate our everyday shortcomings to King David. I remember talking to a friend after the song came out, and I mentioned how much I liked it. He replied, “I guess it’s ok, but I don’t really relate to it.” That comment stunned me, and I wondered if he had really lived such a privileged life that he had never failed or come in second place at anything, or if he was in denial about it all. (I reckon it was the latter.)

The Bible refers to David as someone who pursued God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14); granted, he still had plenty of failed moments, even after he rose to leadership and power. However, I have to wonder if part of his extraordinary success could be attributed to the fact that he knew what it was like to be low on the totem pole. I imagine David would have been the type of supervisor who occasionally walked out into the fields and made small talk with the shepherds who worked for him, swapping coffee break stories about bear and lion encounters (1 Samuel 17:36).

If we are going to make an impact for the kingdom of God, then we need to not only know how to lead, but perhaps more importantly, we need to be willing to serve. Philippians 2:3-4 tells us: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (NIV). So, regardless of whether you play first violin or warm the bench, will you allow God to use your position in life for his glory and influence?