Post-Election Blues or Bliss?
By
Sharon Vincz Andrews
Christian Science Committee on Publication for Indiana
Got the post-election day blues? Or perhaps you’re filled with hope and joy! It’s been a tough year in US politics. Yet, over the coming months we will likely see a transition that reflects increased harmony. For another election cycle, it’s over.
Or is it?
The day after the election, I said to myself, “We’re done with national politics for four more years!” “Not so fast,” came the immediate response. “You’ve got work to do.”
I knew that didn’t mean campaigning or fund-raising or analyzing candidates’ platforms. It meant prayer. I’ve often turned to prayer for all kinds of problem-solving in my life. Perhaps the larger issue of good government was also in God’s hands.
As I prayed, this Bible verse seemed to me to embrace our three branches of the US government — judicial, legislative, and executive: “The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king.” That inspired me to keep praying.
I also found a statement in the writings of Christian healer and teacher Mary Baker Eddy that gave me a focus for my prayers about government. She writes:
“One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, “Love thy neighbor as thyself;” annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.”
I reasoned: If one infinite God, good, unifies us and annihilates what is wrong in social and political codes, then an understanding of God is the key to better government. Where better to understand God than to look to the life of Jesus? He said, “He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.”
I prayed, listening for the inspired connection between this godly man and good government. I knew that the life of Jesus was filled with acts of healing, teaching, and ministering to the needs of his fellow brothers and sisters. His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection blessed all mankind and demonstrated God’s loving embrace of His creation.
My answer to prayer was taking shape.
If the life of Jesus — his healing and teaching — gives us that truer concept of God — as Father-Mother, as Love, as infinite goodness, as the great shepherd of the sheep — then my path becomes clear. As I follow him and live closer to his life, then I contribute to better government. Living a more Christly life, reflecting that truer concept of God, lifts everyone’s ideas of government. Then those necessary human government organizations thrive and express honesty, compassion, order, and goodness.
A friend of mine ran for office in the suburbs of a large US city a few years ago. There were threats, kickbacks, election fraud, and general corruption of the political process. She took a stand for the truer concept of God and His creation, man — the man of integrity and goodness. She spoke out against the corruption and refused to engage in it. She lost the election, but she felt that her prayers for the town government were effective and she continued to pray. The next year the corruption was exposed through the reporting in a large city newspaper and a new group of honest public servants was ushered in to govern her small town. No matter what the problem, prayer has the power to heal.
So, whether you’re doing post-election cartwheels or crying into your pillow, you’ve still got campaigning to do. Campaign every day for the truer concept of God. Look for and express honesty, justice, order, compassion. Take on the civic-minded task of recognizing and supporting the ultimate example of good government — the true idea of God expressed in the life of Jesus Christ.
This article was originally published in Bloomington, Indiana Herald-Times, January 7, 2017. You can reach Sharon at indiana@compub.org
