…Jesus is Lord meant – joyfully and defiantly - that Caesar
wasn’t…[this three-word creed helped delineate] the striking contrast between two competing
kingdoms and their “Lords” – on who would gladly torture and kill to establish
dominance via the Pax Romana and another who would willingly suffer and die to
establish reconciliation via the Pax Christ.
Brian McLaren
Blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of truth
Albert
Einstein
To lead people, walk beside them... As
for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best,
the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the
people hate. When the best leader's work is done, the people say, 'We did
it ourselves!
Lao Tzu
_________________________________________
It is good to be the king
Or so they say
When it is all about you
And you can do what you want,
To whom you want
When you want
It is all about domination.
Winning
Controlling
Creating fear
Manipulating
Turning people against others
Dividing
Everything is acceptable
For the cause of domination
Lies, violence, retribution
If people are hurt, diminished.
Demonized, erased
It is all for a good cause.
Pax Romana
Pax Americana
But no justice, no peace
No compassion
No love
No forgiveness
No sharing and caring
No sacrifice
(If sharing so that all have enough is truly a sacrifice)
No peace
The Prince of Peace made it clear
The one who emptied himself
Gave himself away
Sacrificed and died
Domination has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God.
We need a leader
Not a bully
We need a leader
Not an opportunist
We need a leader
Not someone whose only agenda
Is getting wealth and power
And getting his (or her) jollies
From making others hurt
The worst leaders make people hate
and create fear
Being empty and needy
They must constantly abuse power to feel alive
We know them
Mussolini, Hitler, Pol Pot, Mao
Kim, Putin
And yes…
Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven (God) is near
Within us
Jesus said the way to establish the Kingdom
Is through love, compassion, and reconciliation
Not hate, violence, and division
He said that greatness looks like
Giving one’s self away
Seeing the other as more important than the self
He said any other path is hellish.
Maybe it is time for us to change the paradigm
Not Make America Great Again (dominating)
But Make America giving again, gracious again
Maybe it is time
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