|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom” (John 18:36, NLT).
Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” Pastor Grant would like to add a third—political conversations.
Death, taxes, and political conversations. I think the last certainty could be the worst—especially this year!
Admittedly, some enjoy talking politics, especially those who know they are right in all things, while others prefer a root canal to sitting next to an incessant political talker at a Memorial Day picnic.
But since none of us can avoid a political discussion, we should follow a few rules.
Rule #1: We should seek first His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33).
The number one teaching topic of Jesus was the Kingdom of God. The U.S.A., Russia, England, China, and the Philippines aren’t eternal.
Yes, we can be patriotic, but as millions of persecuted believers throughout the centuries can attest, our first loyalty is the Kingdom of God.
Rule #2: Be Kingdom-first in all conversations.
In our next heated debate, before telling a person they are going to hell for their beliefs, pause for a moment and think, “How is this conversation furthering Jesus and His Kingdom?”
Acts 28:31 describes the early apostles as “boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ” (NLT).
Rule #3: Practice quick, slow, and slow (QSS).
You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19b).
Let’s memorize quick, slow, slow!
I can be amazed at my quick retorts but later regret that I said them. By following QSS, we can conquer the mountain of political discussion.
Rule #4: The “truth with love” plan.
Paul writes in Ephesians 4:15: “We will speak the truth in love” (NLT).
Followers of Jesus know that our political conversations should find the balance between truth and love. But how do we know when we achieve balance? Let’s consider the last part of Ephesians 4:15…
Growing in every way more and more like Christ (NLT).
Truth and love should glorify Jesus and not prove a point. We don’t win an argument without love, and we lose a grip on holiness with love but no truth.
Those are my four rules for political discussions.
When discussing politics or any other difficult topic, we find that Kingdom conversations unexpectedly change us. Following Jesus, we realize that in His Kingdom, our nationalism and individualism evaporate into something eternal.
As Jesus said to Nicodemus…
I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3).
Let’s remember the four rules of political conversations. And if you break any of the rules this summer while talking to me—well, don’t worry—I’m practicing QSS!