When Dirty Politics Are Played

WHEN DIRTY POLITICS ARE PLAYED

THEME: DOING RIGHT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE WINNING THE FIGHT.

TEXT: MATTHEW 26: 47-56

One day a father who was in his study reading, and he heard a commotion outside the window. It was his daughter who was playing with her friends. And it got louder and it got louder and more heated and more argumentative, until finally he could restrain himself no longer. And he pushed the window open and said, “Stop it, honey, what’s wrong.” And after the reprimand she responded quickly, “But, daddy, we were just playing church.”

I my line of work, I personally do not like church fights. I like it when everyone in the congregation is getting together with one another. We are being kind and caring towards each other. But every now and then, problems will arise in a congregation. I have been involved in this thing we call church politics. It really happens all the time. Someone talks with someone else in the congregation. You would believe that a lot of church business is done outside of church meetings. This is just the nature of church. People are going to talk about issues with one another. This is fine as long as no one is hurt or gossiped about in a negative way. The problem I have is when church talk turns into church politics. This is where people are campaigning for their rights over another person’s rights. This is where people attack reputations and personalities. Unfortunately, I have seen this happen and maybe a few times at the center of the war. But I was the man at the middle of the battle field being fired at.

You maybe have felt that same thing before. Maybe not in a church setting, but in the work place or in the community, because you stood up and someone wanted to knock you down. You in the work place have had rumors spread about you and your family. You have maybe even lost a job because someone did not like you and they had the ear of your boss. Politics happen all round us every day. You could have been a victim and I bet some of you have been involved in playing dirty politics before. You have started campaigns against people. You were calling friends up in this town to side with you or to tell them the true side of the story. You have been talked about in a negative way because of politics in the work place or community or family.

Would you like to know how to deal with these situations? Would you like some help in knowing how to deal with people who play dirty politics against you? Many of us might be tempted to play back. You know an eye for an eye principle. If someone attacks me and my family, we will attack back even worst. So instead of showing Christ we show revenge to people. We hurt people in the same way they have hurt us. But would you not like to know of a better way than to simply fight back. Not a way where you lose but in the end you win. Do you want to know how to defend yourself from people who play dirty politics at work, church, and in the community and still maintain the attitude of Christ?

Fortunately, we have a case in the Bible where some dirty politics have taken place. It is found in Matthew 26:47-56 “And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up, accompanied by a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I shall kiss, He is the one; seize Him." And immediately he went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said^ to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? "How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?" At that time Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. "But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left Him and fled.