Do you remember the days when someone hired you to do a job
and you were actually expected to do the job?
I know that there are some old enough to remember. It wasn’t but a decade or two ago when work,
team work, and completed work were still words active in our vocabularies.
On Tuesday, 6 November 2012, those registered voters so
inclined to exercise their vote will do so if they have not already availed
themselves of an early voting option.
After the continuation of the process in the Electoral College, we will
likely have a president for the next 4 years.
It may be the one we have now or a new one, but if the miracle of our
republic continues, it will once again come without bloodshed or tanks in the
streets. Congress will surely be full
once again with some old and some new faces.
To say that this process comes at a price is to slight the
term understatement. We pay an
incredible price in vitriol and acrimony.
The election process widens the chasm between parties and within the
electorate. There are no clean hands
here. Politics is dirty business and we
have become exceptional business men in this trade.
But the campaigns will end.
God willing, they will end.
And when they do, it is time for the citizens of this Grand
Experiment to send a clear message to all of our elected officials.
GET TO WORK!
No blaming.
No posturing for the next round of elections.
No excuses.
Regardless of the faith of our representatives, all of them
could take heed of the words that Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23-24.
Whatever
you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human
masters, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Our representatives need an immediate reminder that they don’t
work for themselves or their party or the President or the Speaker of the
House. They need to be reminded that we
don’t need any more politicians. We do
have a need for statesmen. We have a
need for men and women who will honor their values and the values of this
nation and work together with other representatives from other areas of our
nation to preserve the blessings of liberty not only for ourselves but for our
posterity.
While the election will soon be over—none too soon for many—the
process of self government continues for each of us. We must inundate inboxes—physical and
electronic--- of our officials with letters, messages, and notes that
read: GET TO WORK.
Some cynically say that we get the government that we pay
for. It’s easy to get caught up in that
game especially with the nature and finance of modern campaigns. The problem is that cynicism leads to
self-pity and pretty soon we are all victims.
Victims of what?
The system?
No, we become victims of our own choices; specifically, the
choice to stop being involved.
Sometimes I wonder if God isn’t shaking his head saying, “So
you guys want to try self-government, do you?”
We say we do, but we vote and forget, or maybe it’s vote and
complain.
But will just telling our elected officials to GET TO WORK
be enough?
No, but it is a starting point. With such divergent views represented, they
are also going to have to learn to listen to each other. This is a tough task as they had to do a lot
of talking to get elected.
For most of my adult life, I have preferred the proactive
approach. So why don’t we all go ahead
and fill out the body of the letter or email that we will send to each of our
officials once we know who they are. We
can add the names later.
Go ahead and start writing.
What to say? How about:
Congratulations.
Get to work.
Listen and learn.
Learn and listen.
Grow into a statesman.
Don’t shrink into a politician.
Yes, that means working for a greater good.
Yes, that means working for the best interests of this
nation not for any special interest. The
nation is the only special interest, and we are very special.
Sometimes you may have to compromise on approaches, but
never on values or integrity.
Sometimes you may find that synergy is attainable and it is
always better than compromise.
Never forget that you are privileged to serve. You are not entitled to anything special.
This nation is a Grand Experiment. We expect nothing less than your best while
you are its servant.
Learn to love the name servant.
If you can’t do that, you will become a politician and you
just need to go home.
But we have great expectations for you.
We are praying for you.
We are praying that God will guide you and equip you to do
wonderful things in the service of our nation.
Now get to work!
