A light always appears brighter when it is darker, and things in our country seem to get a bit darker during an election year. We get a bit angrier and meaner, a bit more worried and on edge, and often we see Christians responding to this pressure no differently than the rest of the world. So, what does it look like for us to be a light to the world, as Jesus says we are in Matthew 5-7, and how do we do that in this polarized political climate? Our Director of Ethics & Justice, Dr. David Sanchez, leads this discussion.
Today, we discuss being a light for Jesus during an election year and ask what our Christian witness should look like if and when we engage in the discussion of politics, especially online. We find Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount to be both challenging and full of wisdom for us, pointing out the ways in which our reactions should be different from the world's because of our relationship with Christ and our identity in Christ.
We look at 5 ways we should set ourselves apart in our behavior and attitudes, and they make an acronym with the word LIGHT. Stick around for the end, because we also have a fun song to help you remember these points.
TIMESTAMPS:
1:30 - Topic introduction - What do we think of Disney live-action remakes? Can we model what a respectful discussion might look like where we potentially have differing opinions?
7:06 - Christians divided on Facebook over the casting of Halle Bailey in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. What type of message are we sending to the world, when this is how we as professed believers behave on social media?
13:35 - Jesus told us we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:16). What does that look like in an election year?
14:46 - L - Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-45)
21:40 - I - Inspect your own eye (Matthew 7:1-5)
27:54 - G - Give like a ninja (Matthew 6:2-4)
34:38 - H - Hear and obey (Matthew 7:24-27)
39:10 - T - Trust God to meet your needs (Matthew 6:31-33)
47:26 - What is Good?
51:27 - The L-I-G-H-T Song