The first “creeping crud” makes me sick. The second type sickens the whole culture.
And it has really plumbed the depths this time around regarding irrationality and immorality, hasn’t it? Bold misrepresentations of the economic numbers. Cover-ups of the scandals of Benghazi, Fast and Furious, and more. Lying about the abortion mandates of Obamacare. Playing the patsy to Muslim extremists and the Communist thugs of China and Russia. Refusing to defend DOMA. Pimping for Planned Parenthood. A dramatic escalation of the welfare state while dismantling America’s national security. Wow.
And, of course, the lies about these things do not just come from the political ads and the speeches but also from the press, Hollywood, the big union bosses, and the other powers that be.
However, the Christian who is trained in the Holy Scriptures should not be completely surprised at this state of affairs. Saddened, yes. Even horrified. But not surprised. For the Bible has made it clear that the last days would be marked by unprecedented levels of lies, violence, false religion, sexual perversion, lawlessness, and a zealous hatred for God and those who serve Him.
Furthermore, even in such a wicked arena, the Christian need not be cowed. Ours is not to whine and hunker down nor is it to just turn up the volume of our “contemporary Christian music” and act as if these evils are not, in fact, on the loose. No, our duty remains the same as that proscribed for believers of all eras, all locales, all situations. We are to put on the armor of God; wield well the sword of the Spirit; pray without ceasing; and confidently, joyfully enter into the fray.
It's time to stop the whining -- whining that these days are not like the good old days of yore. And it's time to stop the pining -- pining for the rapture (a deliverance I very much believe in, by the way) or even the delights of our future state. Yes, of course; heaven should be a huge motivation for us. But it's a motivation for us to invest our lives for Christ now rather than twiddling our time away until then.
Rejecting both the whining and the pining leaves us then the noble and adventurous option -- shining. Specifically, shining the light, love and truth of Christ all around us.
Christians are called (and, praise God, we are also fully equipped) to a humble, heaven-anticipating lifestyle – one that involves a dedication to personal purity, Bible study, prayer, gratitude, joy, and a willingness to bear the banner of authentic holiness everywhere it is needed. That includes the family. That includes the church, the neighborhood, social institutions. That includes the marketplace. That includes the arts. And, yes, that includes politics.
