Stress Test Devotional April 20
April 20, 2024
MATTHEW 5:37 | 37 Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
JOHN 8:43-44 | 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. 44 You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Political leaders and representatives working on the broken human landscape must be hopeful that the kingdom is coming, and courageous to balance interests and claims, ready to disappoint others. In the contemporary public square they must also exercise an incredible restraint. Public discussion takes place in a great distorting storm of voices, many destructively castigating opposing perspectives, deliberately distorting truths, and deceptively hiding intentions and motivations. We live in a world of lies and half-truths, where zero sum partisanship seems to have destroyed basic norms of clarity and kindness in communication.
Christian leaders face a dilemma, join in the game of destruction of its own terrible terms, or be at a disadvantage. I believe restraint is key. If we imagine Jesus listening to our attack ad or soundbite, how would He respond? Once we would do anything to win we don’t deserve the victory!
Have you ever been tempted toward distortion or omission to get ahead?
