Someone asked me last week at a Q and A time where I was speaking in San Antonio, “If you had a few minutes to advise President Obama on what he should do with Syria, what would you say?”
I replied – as you might guess: “Jesus.”
There was laughter through the audience. Then some uncomfortable silence as i didn’t continue. The man said “No. Seriously.”
Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t just say the word “Jesus” and nothing more. (Although, that wouldn’t be a bad idea). I would probably say “You know….that reminds me of something Jesus said….”
It’s funny how easily we forget (or never learned) that Jesus has the answer for everything. Like you, I grew up around the bumper stickers that said – “Jesus is the Answer.” I think I had one in the ’70’s. But by that we meant – “He’s the answer to get you to heaven. Not the literal answer to current real-life problems. And for sure not the answer to political issues as we all know he doesn’t do politics.” i think that’s what we meant.
But I think Jesus had very specific things to say to governments. To leaders. On economic policy. War. The oppressed and the oppressor. What to do with evil and violence. Those from both sides of any aisle and how to work together.
So, yes, I would absolutely encourage our President to consider acting upon the ways of Jesus. And I’d also encourage Boehner and all the folks in DC to consider his ways as well. It’s not that the ways of Jesus are impossible – it’s that they’re untried.
Well, not completely untried. A little Muslim girl in Pakistan tried them. When asked what she would do if she had time to react to a Taliban person who would come to kill her – she said “I would have considered hitting him with my shoe but then I realized I’d be as bad as him, so I would just tell him I wanted his girl to be educated as well as me.”
Sounds like Jesus is involved in Pakistani politics after all.
