The Ambassador

As I watched the House of Representatives pass the Health Care Reform Bill, I felt like I had been in a car accident. For a brief second, I couldn't breathe. First came the feeling of shock., then a sense of confusion, followed by grief. My only relief, if you can call it that, was that no one was looking at me. All eyes were up front. I wasn't IN the accident, but I sure felt it. I wasn't behind the wheel. I didn't agree with the route. I didn't even vote for the hired driver. But that offered me no protection from my seat on the bus. The emotions were as real as the damage. I wasn't in the accident, I witnessed it. Had I been involved, I would have had to concern myself with the consequences. Like being immersed in a book or movie, I forgot who I was, or more accurately, whose I was.

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you. Luke 17:20-21

An ambassador is the highest ranking resident representative of a foreign nation. They are messengers sent to live in a foreign nation with the express purpose of communicating the interests and goals of their home country. They are ministers of the highest authority, with full power to represent their head of state. Ambassador's allow national leaders the ability to be in many places at once. If you are speaking to the ambassador of a nation, it is understood you are speaking to it's leader. It is the duty of an ambassador to speak ONLY on behalf of their home country, and not on behalf of the country they reside.

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”  2 Corinthians 5:19-20

As an American, I couldn't help but feel the effects of the initial impact. But I am also an ambassador of Christ, a citizen of the substantial, superior, and spiritual Kingdom of God. The health care bill will have an economic and social affect on all Americans, but I'm not just an American. As an ambassador of Christ, my security is in a head of state that isn't bound by limitation, opinion polls, and economic trends. I am as passionate about politics as the next guy, but the difference is I know who is in control of my destiny. I may live in America, but I understand whom I answer to. Political activism is my responsibility as an American, but it's not my burden. It is one avenue in which I carry out my real job - being a diplomat for Christ. If Jesus didn't worry Himself with the decisions of an inferior government, why should I? The religious leaders of Jesus' day were notorious for asking Him political questions. On one occasion, they wanted to get his take on Caesar's tax increases. Jesus thought that question was so important, He responded with as much emotion had the question been about Parker Brothers' decision to increase the Luxury Tax on the Monopoly board from $75 to $100.

Jesus said, "Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a coin. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Matt. 22:19-21

It is undocumented, but I believe the follow-up question was whether or not he believed Caesar should sign "Climate Change" legislation, but I can't prove it. And just in case you didn't get the insult, God provided an object lesson. On another occasion, Peter was approached by the IRS and asked if Jesus paid taxes. Surprisingly, Jesus didn't respond by opening an account with H&R Block or scrambling to find all of his gas receipts.  Jesus let them know how serious he was about tax season and having to hand out more of Caesar's Monopoly money.

Jesus said, "Go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.” Matt.17:27

Compared the the Kingdom of God, our system of government rivals a board game. God's authority is superior and nothing can float out of the sewers of Washington to change it. Ambassadors may live in their host country, but they are NOT exclusive citizens of it. Ambassadors may have to participate in it's commerce, but they are NOT slaves to it. As long as you are doing the work of an ambassador, you will always have your embassy, your provision, and the power and authority of Christ himself. Jesus is alive and he is busy preparing a new place for us.  When he left, who did He leave in charge of the store?  That would be me.

I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.  John 17:14-18

After the signing of the health care bill, I prayed for the Americans. I then cited diplomatic immunity.

Clean End of a Turd

Political Correctness is a term that has been thrown around for years, but few of us know what it is.  I must have heard the term a hundred times before looking up the definition.  Even then, I was confused to what it meant. All I knew was that I needed it, If I was to avoid being sued, fired, or labeled racist, homophobe, or intolerant. Because there is no shortage of politically correct phrases, understanding what is expected of us is as easy as Paris Hilton...er... I mean an economically exploited sex care provider.

This is an African American neighborhood.

You cannot fly airplanes because you are visually challenged.

He is hair disadvantaged like his father.

Pat is considering gender reassignment surgery.

Where do the involuntarily undomiciled get cardboard and Sharpies?

One doesn't need to know the definition of political correctness to understand what it's all about. In it's simplest form, political correctness is a term that describes language, ideas, and behavior that seeks to minimize offenses by averaging out our differences with a thesaurus. For example, only a small percentage of our population has had a sex change.  But unless you are walking around twirling your umbilical cord, we've all had some type of surgery. Before Political Correctness, the thought of having a sex change was culturally taboo.  But today, It's something we're not supposed to even blink at. 

Before Political Correctness, being poor was a temporary setback or an obstacle that needed to be overcome. There used to be a stigma associated with being poor that discouraged you from getting comfortable and spurred you to get back on your feet. A generation ago, If you were on welfare, you hated that you were.  Thanks to Political Correctness, you can be financially disadvantaged and feel better about it. Poverty has nothing to do with finances. Political Correctness is the poison that turns your temporary situation into a permanent perspective.

The victimization of the poor IS their poverty. Proverbs 10:15

Not to be left out, illegal aliens can now plunder America guilt free. It is politically incorrect to demand that existing US laws be enforced. Consequently, It is costing U.S. tax payers over $300 billion a year in welfare, medicaid, and other government services to support illegals. Political Correctness would have you suspend that fact and believe that they are not illegal aliens, but undocumented workers. Guess how much taxes "undocumented" workers pay toward the $300 billion it cost to support them? Which begs the question, what kind of workforce COSTS you money? Don't ask bankrupt California. It's politically incorrect to investigate that crime scene.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano was quoted as saying she will no longer use the word "terrorism" because it causes people to fear terrorist. (Crazy, I know.) She will now call them "man-caused disasters." We can all sleep better knowing that aeresol cans and Jihadists are equally scary. Which is probably why airport security spends equal time certifiying my mouthwash and my passport. Political Correctness is something that we innately know to be stupid. But that doesn't stop us from choosing to go along with it.

The Apostle Paul spoke of a time when the world would choose to believe something they knew to be a lie.  Eventually, they would get so good at it, they could no longer distinguish the lie between the truth. Everyone who graduated the fourth grade knows WHY the Vikings called Greenland, GREENland. It's not the settling of the science, but the searing of the mind. They have "departed" from their own conscience because it was the Politically Correct thing to do.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by (politically correct) demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 1 Tim. 4:1 (NIV)

Texas A&M holds an annual contest for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term. A few years back the term up for definition was 'Political Correctness'.

And the winner is: "Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."