WALDROP: A spiritual revolution in politics?

She was as excited as any expectant mother has ever been. While still pregnant, she traveled uphill for 80 miles to visit with another mother-to-be and share her God-given picture of her son’s future work for the nation and the world.

She had discovered it from Old Testament prophecies and from her own prayerful relationship with God. Now, in what is now called The Magnificat, Mary announced to her cousin, Elizabeth, that Jesus would continue what God had always done. He would “bring down rulers from their thrones, lift up the humble, fill the hungry with good things and send the rich away empty” (Luke 1: 39- 56, esp. 52- 53).

What mother, having received such a definitive preview of her son’s life, would not sing it to him daily until his birth and continue singing it during his infancy? Who could fault her for whispering him to sleep with it during toddlerhood or for reminding him of it regularly as his voice changed and his body and mind took on more qualities of manhood.

Is there any doubt that Jesus turned out just like his mother said he would? Anyone who doubts should read such powerful messages as his Sermons on the Mount and on the Plain, and those economic parables that still challenge politicians of all persuasions.

Listen again to what she taught him. Should it not apply to our own politics today?

1. “Bring down rulers from their thrones.” This political activity may happen more frequently than we realize. Imagine a national revolution where the ruling party is routed from office. We would prefer that it happen through an election, but God has been known to use pagan kings to upset the status quo of even his own chosen people, even militarily (2Chron. 36:22-23; Isa. 45:1).Where and how might God be backing such movements today; moreover, who is placed in those same positions after the revolution?

It is important for us to know what God wants from our own political structures, both nationally and locally. The Bible says that Jesus is the one through whom governmental systems were created and the one who holds everything together (Col. 1:16-17). He is the one to whom one day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess” that Jesus is, indeed, and has always been the Governor of all Governors (Phil. 2:10-11). In preparation for that, we might want to examine the remaining three points of Mary’s description of Jesus’ ministry. Is our government doing this, or even trying to?

2. “Lift up the humble.” As irresponsible rulers are demoted, others are promoted. They may even be changing places with each other in a divine “re-districting” plan. Who are these humble, but newly “lifted up,” people? Grammatically speaking, they are people “of low position, poor, lowly, undistinguished, of no account” (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament). Jesus knew both groups well: “Blessed are you poor … woe to you rich” (Luke 6:20-26). Mary was not surprised to hear this teaching; there would be more that did not surprise her.

3. “Fill the hungry with good things.” From salt to yeast and eggs and figs, Jesus knew about food. He even called himself the “Bread of Life” and fed people abundantly. He also knew the temptations that hunger brings and that people can not live on food alone. But they can’t live long without food either and shouldn’t, unless it is for voluntary fasting. Most of the time, it isn’t.
(Continued next week)