Wading in the political pool

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I have watched with considerable interest the “Occupy” movement these last few weeks, just as I did the Tea Party last year. Anyone watching, whatever their political persuasion, has to be impressed with the passion and the intensity of both groups—which sometimes erupt even to the point of crossing the bounds of civil engagement.
 
But, if you will allow me to offer an observation . . . Even though these two manifestations are generally from the opposite sides of the political spectrum, both are essentially self-focused and self-promoting in nature. Perhaps over-simplified, one group wants the government to leave them alone to pursue their own vision of the American dream, and the other wants the government more involved to protect their pursuit of the American dream. But in both cases, it is still self-interest: I want the government to act in this way for my benefit.
 
So here is my question: what if this passion, this intensity were directed outward, instead of inward, and was for benefit of others, instead of self? What if, with all the emotion of the Tea Party-ers, all the deeply held beliefs of the Occupiers, we asked ourselves the question, “How can we change the world for the least of these?”
 
Perhaps to the point of Philippians 2, where we are told to have the mind of Christ, “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” Do you hear that? He is God, with all the rights and prerogatives of the Creator and Lord of the Universe. But, instead of demanding his rightful place, he “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.” And this is our example. So, what if instead of insisting on our rights, we truly marshal our energies for the orphan, for the widow, for the dispossessed of our world?

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