Saturday, October 11, 2008

Silver Linings

It's been a while since I've made a blog entry, but with all the scary rhetoric about the economy and the election I feel the need to think out loud. I don't pretend to have the answers to the economic crises nor do I think that either of the presidential candidates are the magic solution to these or other major problems facing our nation. But I'm the kind of person who likes to see the silver lining within these clouds of despair.

Regarding the economy I share the anger and fear that everyone is feeling. But the silver lining is that we are collectively learning some hard lessons about the dangers of unchecked greed, unmanageable debt, and the vanity of money as our source of security. Check out what the Pope said about this. Could it be that our generation will learn the hard way what our parents and grandparents generations learned the hard way in the 1930's? Will there be a spiritual awakening as a result of all this material shaking? I hope there will be.

Regarding the election I find it more difficult to see the silver lining. The politics of fear and hate coming from both parties, the spin-meisters, and the crazy internet character assassins creates an uneasy atmosphere among friends, families, co-workers, and even fellow believers.
I am a peacemaker at heart and it grieves me to see the damage this is all causing. Politics is a blood-sport and I am ready for this election to be over. I don't know why anyone would want to go through this process in order to be elected. But one silver lining is that many Christians are becoming more focused on the reality of an eternal kingdom that is not limited by national boundaries and dependent on any one political party or candidate. Here is an interesting opinion article that a friend sent me about the ways many evangelicals are returning to the "good news" roots of evangelicalism.

More and more I am falling in love with and looking to Jesus as the source for my hope, my security and my inspiration on how to live a meaningful life.

What other silver linings might there be in the clouds of despair out there? I'd really like to hear your thoughts. I'm sure if we look we can find many more.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your encouraging words. My silver linings are Psalm 91 of course, and Psalm 57:1 - Have mercy on me for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until this storm has passed.

Anonymous said...

Your words have encouraged me to see a 'silver lining' in this economic mess. I own my own business and right now times are hard. We are making it though. However, these times have forced us to put our faith in God. I'm starting to really understand the meaning of having security in Jesus and not our bank account. It's a hard lesson learned.