If Jesus was here, what would he do to heal political division in the world?
Today we’re going to talk about how to pray about and bring healing to the political division in today’s society. But before we get started, I want you to think of a political issue that concerns you; the more specific the better. Write it down on a piece of paper if you can, and set it aside. (From the podcast: If you’re driving or doing something where you can’t write, just make a mental note of what it is.) We’ll come back to it later.
A number of years ago, I was in Washington, D.C. and went into the National Museum of Natural History. I don’t know how things are arranged now, but when I walked in that day there were big displays of dinosaur skeletons. It was so amazing. I was totally intrigued. I spent about two or three hours reading every info card on every object and display. I looked in all the glass cases and at all the exhibits. It was fascinating and I was completely absorbed.
Now, you may be wondering: Hey James, what does the Museum of Natural History have to do with healing political division. How this relevant?
Well, bear with me for just a minute.
As I said, I was totally absorbed in the dinosaur exhibits. And the path I followed took me to glass cases filled with skeletons of modern day animals in comparison to prehistoric creatures.
Surrounded by bones
At this point I was getting, not just overwhelmed, but almost dizzy with input overload. All I could see was bones, bones, bones. It seemed like bones and death were everywhere.
In desperation, I reached out to God and asked, “God, what do you think about all this?”
His simple answer came instantly. That still small voice said, “That’s not the way I made them.” You could’ve probably heard me laughing up on the next floor.
It made me realize I wasn’t looking at things from God’s perspective.
I remembered the story in the book of Ezekiel about the field of dry bones. You can read the whole story in Ezekiel, Chapter 37.
I tried to imagine to how Ezekiel responded to God’s command
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Ezekiel 37:4 NIV
My vision in the museum
I tried to look at all the bones in the museum the way Ezekiel saw the bones in that field. I heard myself saying out loud, “These bones will live again.” I had my own little vision of all these skeletons of birds and raccoons or whatever, in the glass cases, coming back to life, trying to get out. And fortunately, in this imagined vision, the dinosaurs did not come back to life.
Now again, you may be wondering what on earth does this have to do with healing the political division in this country or any country.
And here let me add, I’m primarily talking about the situation in the United States right now, but the same ideas apply to any divisive political scene.
The point I want to make is that when I was looking at all the dinosaur stuff, I got interested in all the details of the exhibits. But I also go so sucked in and absorbed by all these details it was overwhelming. I forgot about everything else and missed most of the rest of the museum, because all of a sudden, it was closing time. I was basically mesmerized by all that dinosaur stuff.
It was only when I asked God what He saw that I sort of came back to my senses.
Have you been mesmerized by political division?
Here’s my question for you. Have you ever been so absorbed in what’s going on in the political scene, so glued to the news and every tiniest new development in a story that your normal routines get messed up? Or you’ve lost your peace of mind worrying about it?
I have a friend who, during a presidential election several years ago, got so absorbed in his perspective versus what the other party was doing, it made him physically ill. He finally realized he was looking at things and judging the situation totally based on the material circumstances and through the lens of his own opinions and perspectives of what was going on. And he was basically addicted to every scrap of news he could get his hands on.
When he changed the way he looked at things to a more spiritual perspective, he found freedom from the voracious appetite for every detail of the news. He got a more spiritual view of what was going on. And his physical illness just kind of melted away.
So what happened here?
Basically, his perspective changed from a material to a spiritual viewpoint. And this brought healing on several levels.
What’s your perspective on politics?
Do you need to change your perspective of the political scene from a material to a spiritual one?
I have Christian friends in many different denominations who have said with great authority: You can’t be a true Christian unless you vote Republican. Others say the exact opposite: If you are really a Christian, you’ll vote Democrat. Where do you see yourself? Do you tend to agree with either of those statements?
Have you ever heard someone say, or maybe said it yourself: The opposite political party is evil, and if they’re in office , they’ll destroy democracy as we know it? I’ve heard this from both sides.
What’s going on here? Who is right? How do we solve the problem? How do we bring healing to this divisiveness?
It’s time for humility
First of all, every single one of us needs to eat a nice big piece of humble pie. Human opinions, attitudes, preconceptions, and perspectives, however well informed or firmly believed to be the truth, are never going to bring true healing or lasting solutions.
This is where perspective is crucial. Let’s pretend you and I are sitting across the table from each other (and I’ve used this example before on The Bible Speaks to You Podcast). The salt and pepper are in the middle between us. To you the salt is on the left and the pepper on the right, but to me the salt is on the right and the pepper is on the left.
Who is right? Who’s perspective is correct? If I walk around to your side of the table, I’ll see things from your perspective, and vice versa.
This, of course, takes a willingness to understand the other side’s view and even a big dose of compassion, but it’s not enough, by itself, to bring complete healing.
What will heal political division?
Jesus didn’t heal any situation by trying to sort out and reconcile human opinions. He healed with clear spiritual vision. He never accepted the material picture as the final word for what was going on.
How did Jesus think? How did he see things? What perspective did he look from? If you want to heal like Jesus did, you have to embrace the way he thought, act the way he acted, love the way he loved.
So let’s dig into how Jesus was thinking, to get a better idea of how we can think, pray, and heal like he did. How can you and I bring his healing approach to the political division running rampant right now?
The place to start is an idea I mention often. It’s what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church
We have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV
Paul says we have, not will have sometime in the future, the mind of Christ. It’s present tense. We have the mind of Christ. So we can think like Jesus did. The more we do, the more healing we’ll see.
This is the foundation stone for anything we pray about, that we have the mind of Christ. And because we do, we should start using it.
The mindset of Jesus
So let’s talk about what it means to have the mind of Christ. Or as I like to say in a more modern terms, the mindset of Christ. If you’ve been listening to The Bible Speaks to You for a while, this is not a new idea, but let’s see how it applies to how we can pray about political division.
What was the mindset of Jesus?
Did he focus on problems or solutions? Did he see lack or abundance? Was he preoccupied with everything going on in the material world, or was his focus on the kingdom of heaven?
Well, you already know the answer. Jesus saw things more spiritually than everyone around him.
Jesus told his followers
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. John 7:24 KJV
Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly. John 7:24 NLT
This gives us a clear view of Jesus’s modus operandi. Jesus never accepted the material picture of what was going on. When someone came to him for healing, he didn’t try to heal problems on the level of the problem. He went deeper. He looked deeper. He looked at things from a spiritual perspective.
How to pray about political division
This gives us the first hint of how to pray about political divisiveness, doesn’t it? Are you absorbed in the material surface picture of the situation, like I was in the museum? Or are you looking from a deeper spiritual perspective?
Another aspect of Jesus’s mindset, that goes right along with this, is his bold declaration that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is how he started his ministry. It was the spiritual foundation he stood on.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 KJV
The fact that the kingdom of heaven is at hand is the perspective he looked at the world from. And it’s how he healed.
Jesus looked at people and situations here on earth from the perspective that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and within us.
behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21 KJV
What did Jesus see?
Let me give you an example. When Jesus saw, let’s say, a blind person, his material eyes saw the same thing your material eyes would have seen. But his spiritual eyes saw what was true in the kingdom of heaven about the blind person.
In heaven there is no blindness. Jesus saw this so clearly it was like a light switch he turned on. Those with him saw this light, and to them, from the perspective of what’s going on here on earth, the blind person was healed.
But from the perspective of what was true about this person in heaven, nothing changed. That person was never blind in heaven.
Jesus saw so clearly God’s will in heaven, and that heaven is at hand, that it was made manifest here on earth. Isn’t that what the Lord’s Prayer is all about?
Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Luke 11:2 KJV
How does this apply to healing the political divisiveness that is so pervasive these days?
How you can bring healing to political division
Let’s come back to the specific problem on the political scene you wrote down or thought about at the beginning of this episode.
Maybe the thing that bothers you is how the opposing political party uses fake news to twist the facts to suit their own agenda. Maybe you wrote down that if the opposing party wins, it will be the end of our country. And maybe you see the hypocrisy of people who criticize certain behavior in someone of the opposing party, but if someone in their party does the same thing, they say it’s okay. Those are just a few examples
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve heard these exact same concerns from both Democrats and Republicans.
So, if Jesus were here today, how would he pray about these situations? How would he see the people with these attitudes? How would he bring healing to the political scene?
Well, it probably wouldn’t be what most people expected. Jesus had a way of turning expectations upside down. He didn’t show up the way most people expected the Messiah to appear.
Let’s start with the idea that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It certainly doesn’t look like it on the political scene, but that’s because we’re looking at it from earth’s perspective.
What is true in heaven right now?
What is true in the kingdom of heaven? Is there any political divisiveness there? Are there any political parties? Is there any politics at all in heaven?
Are there a bunch of different human opinions and perspectives in heaven? Is there a desire to be in power and stay in power? Can there be fake news; can the truth be twisted in heaven?
The answer to all these questions and others like them is: No. In heaven, there is no divisiveness. There are no opinions. There are no lies or the ability to lie or be deceived. There is no animosity towards anyone. There is no human government. The only government is God’s and is in God’s hands. And there is no disagreement with the way God governs. There is peace. There is harmony. There is brotherly love and respect. There is love for and obedience to God.
Have you ever prayed with all your heart that the candidates you support will win their elections? People in the other party may be praying for their candidates to win.
If your candidates win, do you believe God answered your prayer and if they lose, wonder why He didn’t answer your prayers?
Praying for what you want
Do you see the problem here?
You are praying for your will to be done. You are looking at things on the surface and trying to solve the problem on the surface.
That will never work.
If you really want to follow Jesus, be more like him, think like him, and heal like he did, you have to surrender your human will, your human opinions and preconceptions for what you insist must happen, not just in politics, but in every area of life.
Then he [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 NIV
When you’re overwhelmed with the political divisiveness and everything that goes along with it, when you’re infuriated by what people in the opposing political party say and do because you feel it’s all lies or the worst ideas possible for our country, when you feel the only solution is for your party to win, I invite you to take a different approach.
Do something different
Turn off the TV. Quit scrolling on your phone. Quit reading every bit of news you can get. At least for a time. Get quiet, be willing to let go of your personal opinions and perspectives, and I know, that’s not necessarily easy. And ask God, “God, what do You think about all this? What do You see in heaven? What is true about all these politicians and policies and political parties in the kingdom of heaven?”
I don’t know exactly what God will say to you. But if you listen humbly, you will get an answer. If the answer you get agrees with your human opinions, if you think there are political parties in heaven and yours should be the winner, you’re not really hearing God’s voice clearly. You’re hearing it filtered through your own preconceptions. You haven’t let go of your human will.
If you don’t feel like you are getting a clear answer, ask again, “What is true in heaven right now about all this political division?” As I mentioned earlier, there is no divisiveness in heaven. There are no political parties. There are no Democrats or Republicans in heaven. In other words, there are no human labels or classifications or opinions. We are all children of God, made in God’s image and likeness.
Paul catches a glimpse of this when he writes
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 RSV
We could add there are no Republicans or Democrats.
How would Jesus heal political division today?
How would Jesus bring healing to the political divisions in today’s society? Would he go to Washington, D.C. and make a speech in congress? Would he meet with opposing political opponents and try to get them to agree on things? Or would he hold a political rally and campaign for one candidate over another?
I don’t think so.
Jesus never got involved in the politics of his times. He never made it a priority to resolve the conflicts with the government of Rome, with its intrigues and powerful personalities. He never tried to resolve the disputes between the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Zealots, and the Essenes.
Jesus made it clear
Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36 NLT
Jesus said this to Pilate, knowing he was going to be crucified immediately after this conversation.
Why Jesus came to earth
And the next thing he said to Pilate was
To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. John 18:37 KJV
The reason Jesus came to earth was to bear witness to the truth, the truth that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
He didn’t say he came to take away our sins or heal, although he did those things. He didn’t come to earth to heal the problems in human government, in politics, or religion. He came to show us what is true in heaven, which he promised us, is at hand, and within us.
Because he saw so clearly what is true in heaven, he could shine the light of that understanding on any situation and bring healing. How he chose to do that was interacting directly with the human heart, usually on an individual basis.
How Jesus healed the ills of society
Here’s a tiny example. Jesus didn’t tell his followers they should try to get the Publicans, the Jews who were collecting taxes from the Jewish population, to quit being corrupt and charging more than they should.
Instead, he reached out to individuals who were tax collectors, and let the light of the kingdom of heaven at hand shine on them. He chose Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of the Apostles. He invited himself over to have a meal at the home of Zacchaeus, another tax collector. Both men were transformed spiritually, from the inside out, and not from some policy reform on a governmental level. And it changed the way they interacted with society.
If you really want to be like Jesus, pray like Jesus, and heal like Jesus, then you have to think like Jesus. You have the mind of Christ. But you have to quit thinking with your personal human mind and start thinking with the mind of Christ. The more you do this, you will see what’s true in the kingdom of heaven. And you will see more of what’s true in the kingdom of heaven appear here on earth.
As we get closer and closer to the election this fall in the United States, and as you see the political scene do whatever the political scene will do, don’t be impressed or get absorbed in what’s going on, like happened to me in the museum. Don’t be alarmed or fearful. Don’t believe everything you hear. Don’t judge any situation by the outward appearance of things pro or con.
See what’s true in heaven
Whatever happens, whatever someone says or does that you agree or disagree with, ask yourself, “What is true about this in the kingdom of heaven right now?” Keep bearing witness to what is true in heaven, no matter what the material circumstances are, whether your political people and party win or lose. Keep your vision on God’s government. And minister to others, even perhaps those you disagree with politically, with the love you have for them in heaven (because in heaven you love everyone).
If you really want to bring healing to the political scene, start with yourself, surrender your personal opinions and perspectives and see everyone and everything from the perspective of what is true in heaven right now. This will bring healing to you, to others, and that can and will, in turn, bring healing on a larger scale, even to the political arena.
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Ezekiel 37:4 NIV
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV
16 We have the mind of Christ.
John 7:24 KJV
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
John 7:24 NLT
24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.
Matthew 4:17 KJV
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luke 17:21 KJV
21 behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Luke 11:2 KJV
2 Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Luke 9:23 NIV
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Galatians 3:28 RSV
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
John 18:36 NLT
36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
John 18:37 KJV
37 To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.
