I find myself frequently in a dilemma; I read posts about the actions of our government, our rights that are disintegrating more and more, freedoms we lose, groups for unrighteousness that succeed and grow and at every door evil abounds. In short, the political arena and the important issues to which there is no end. What should be my response? My involvement? How do we overcome evil? Of course I have no definitive answer, but I do know what spirit I am of, and I thought I’d try and write down some of my thoughts.

When I find myself distressed about an issue, and it raises my emotions and distresses me, I think that is God’s way of motivating me to do something.

I read that the nobility and dignity of any work is measured by the powers, which it demands and uses. If, like Jesus, I want to fulfill and not destroy, I will consider the frame of mind I’m in when doing a work or trying to further a cause. If I just want to destroy, that takes nothing more than hatred and vigor. I can curse the darkness at the top of my lungs, but until I light a candle it will be of no avail. “Just to stand up in the community, and abuse its corruptness, or its irreligion, that is so easy, but to take the suppressed generosity, or the half-conscious religion of a community and educated it and encourage it, to take the remnant seeds of good and kindle them, that takes hard work. The one takes only hatred and vehemence; the other needs love and intelligence and patience and hope.” Phillips Brooks.

So again, I know what Spirit Jesus had, I know what frame of mind I need to be in to thrive and grow, so if I allow myself to get drawn into an emotional frenzy for every cause, I will become ineffective, anxiety ridden, anger filled and ultimately distant from God rendering me completely incompetent. So I pick the battles that I think I’m qualified to succeed in and spend my energy there; and on the other fronts, I support those who choose to focus there, and I vote and give financial support; past that, I will have to trust that life will go on without me, and frankly, in most arenas it will probably be better off. No cause needs a cynical, angry, ill-natured proponent, they usually cause more harm than good and we are taught to persuade with patience, gentleness and love, without exception.  So there’s my feeble attempt to share my strategy.