Where will you put your Cross?

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if there were a Party For Christians To Vote For?  The fact is that we will have to make political decisions as individuals -there is no one, ‘party’ choice for Christians. Wherever we are on the spectrum of opinion, we will soon be called upon to make a decision: will it be Gordon, David or Nick? Where will you put your cross on polling day?

            Voting is one of the things Jesus never had to do. But wherever we decide to place our cross on polling day, let’s make it a decision to place our Cross, - to vote with our understanding of the Cross. Jesus supported no political party but said so much about:

·         ethical, responsible leadership

·         the treatment of the poor and disadvantaged

·         counting the cost before we undertake a project

·         loyalty to those in authority

·         his anger at the abuse of children;

·         God’s provision for us in the Earth

·          lawlessness and violence on the one hand, and prison-visiting on the other

·         debts and debtors.

Our task is to take these ideas and think how we would want to see them applied in our society, for its benefit. The policies by which we might achieve them will vary, but let’s    remember the principles, as we make our Party decision on polling day.

            The Cross of Jesus was the culmination of a life given up in loving, sacrificial servanthood. It’s a Cross that we are now invited to take up in order to follow him. What will ‘taking up our Cross’ mean, in practice, on May 6^th? It may mean voting against our own economic advantage in order to see more given to those who have less; or being realistic about our expectations of any one party, after the recent economic down-turn that we’ve all suffered. We may have to weigh carefully the balance between justice and mercy when we are trying to prevent violence on our city streets. Whatever the outcomes of these questions, will we have arrived at them only from the perspective of our own well-being and advantage? Or are we being asked to act against our personal self-interests at a time of national difficulties?

            So, armed with our knowledge of the present and past needs of our society, and with our personal convictions of how best to meet them; and with the words of Jesus about justice and the poor, ringing in our ears, let’s go forward on May 6^th, and plant our Cross where we pray it will have most effect.

 

 

Note: This is the second article on the General election!  There will be prayer at St. George's on election day between 8 and 9 pm - after which there will be time to vote!  So do join us then. - AMW