The Party

     You may have missed the significance of
the effort to sanction Republican Senator
Mark Hatfield of Oregon.  Senator Hatfield
was the only Republican in the Senate to vote
against the balanced budget amendment, a key
plank in the Republican Contract With
America.  As Senator Hatfield is chairman of
the Appropriations Committee which oversees
over one-third of the nation's $1.6 trillion
federal budget, Republican senators discussed 
stripping him of this powerful chairmanship as his 
punishment.  
     Senator Hatfield's chairmanship resulted
from his seniority, an attestation from his
constituents in Oregon that he is serving
them well.  The effort to sanction him is
therefore evidence that he and his Oregon
constituents have misunderstood the
relationships that exist between a senator,
his constituents, and his party.
     The loyalty of a senator is not to those
who elect him, but to his party.  If the
party wants something, it is the
responsibility of the party member to
produce, never mind what constituents want. 
And the sad truth is that this is how most
senators and congressmen operate--for the
benefit of the party; and you and I really
have no access to our government: the party
picks its causes with little regard for our
desires, and then enhances its image by
identifying ills that only it can cure.  And
this is nothing new.  The same was true years
ago, when Jesus came to dwell among men.  The
Jewish leaders recognized a god higher than
Caesar, and that the people sought a
relationship with such a god.  By presenting
themselves as the conduit to the unseen god,
the Pharisees and Sadducees enhanced their
stature before the people.  They made and
enforced rules concerning special days and
customs to be observed; engaged in
philosophical debate on the existence of
life-after-death; charged Jesus with having
an unclean spirit and casting out devils by
the power of Beelzebub; conducted commerce in
the temple; and welcomed sin for the valuable
price of the sacrifice presented by the
penitent.  

       If you and I could have our views
presented to our government for
consideration, the party system might well
fade away.  While this is not a likely
occurrence in the near future, we do have a
system where our views and desires can be
shaped by the reading of God's word and our
requests can be put before Him.  And we have
the assurance of John 16:23 that
"...Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my
name, He will give it you."  This promise
carries no party membership requirement: it
is a promise of direct access.  But we must
understand, "in my name," is more than a mere
incantation delivered at a time of request or
need.  "In my name" is a requirement that we
live worthy of the name of Jesus--no small
task.  But God's word has powers today just
as it did when Jesus walked the earth (Jesus
is the word of God made flesh as stated at
John 1:14).  Isaiah 55:11 says "So shall my
word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it
shall not return unto me void, but it shall
accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." 
God's word has been sent to change us that we
might prosper, and as we make an effort to
read God's word, He ensures that we are
changed by it.
     And what of our political system?  There
is nothing permanent or sacred in our present
political structure.  And there is nothing
powerful about a party, apart from the people
represented.  God has made us stewards over
all His creation and called us to lead
mankind by our witness.  We possess and
cultivate thoughts and opinions too great for
displacement by the party line.  The
Christian view is certainly worthy of
consideration in the secular arena; and the
view of the Black Christian should never be
taken for granted by thoughtless grouping
under any political banner.  
     There is only one banner under which we
should routinely gather; and until a
political party aligns under all its
principles, it can never be assumed that our
thoughts and opinions are the same.  It
should never be we who are joining them, but
they who are joining us.