As we approach the presidential election of 2024, more and more Christians are turning their thoughts to the Bible to guide their actions and decisions.

One good place to look for guidance is in the book of the Bible written by James (the brother of Jesus).

For example, when reading James recently, I was struck by this insight: God gives wisdom generously without finding fault. (James 1:5).

I thought: “Do we give wisdom generously without finding fault?”.

Instead, it seems as if in the 21st Century we are doing exactly the opposite. We find fault. But we do not give wisdom.

This focus on finding fault is especially true of politicians. One need only read social media. Watch campaign commercials. Listen to political speeches.

You’ll find:

—Screaming about specks in the eyes of those who disagree with the politician.

—Ignoring planks in the eyes of those who agree with the politician.

—Distorting the words and actions of those who disagree with the politician.

—Belittling those who disagree with the politician.

—Insulting those who disagree with the politician.

—Bullying those who disagree with the politician.

—Threatening those who disagree with the politician.

Always finding fault. Never giving wisdom.

Unfortunately, barely a single pearl of wisdom can ever be found coming from any politician.

Furthermore, if anyone dares to speak a word of wisdom, it is likely that those who disagree will behave like swine, trampling every pearl of wisdom under their feet and tearing to pieces the person who spoke wisdom. (Matthew 7:6).

Sadly, such behavior isn’t limited to politics. All too often it happens at home, at work—even at church.

Why?

Wisdom from James 2,000 years ago gives us the answer:

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You [desire] but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. (James 4:1-2).

Instead of finding fault with those who disagree with us, how can we give them wisdom generously?

By doing for them what we would want them to do for us. (Matthew 7:12).

I like to think that this Wisdom from Jesus tells us to do things for people or unto people, instead of telling us to do things to people.

This distinction is especially wise in politics. It is dangerous to think that the role of government is to do things to people.

Such dangerous ways of thinking and doing lead to governments that establish religions and that prohibit people from exercising their religion.

Such dangerous ways of thinking and doing lead to governments that dictate what schools and parents teach children.

Such dangerous ways of thinking and doing lead to governments that persecute people for what they believe and say.

Such dangerous ways of thinking and doing by politicians are especially dangerous.

Why?

Because the Powers of Governments inevitably attract people who love the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

I focus on the dangers from the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World (and in many of my blogs, including “Do Not Live on ‘Bread’ Alone”; “Do Not Jump Off the Temple”; and “Do Not Seek the Kingdoms of the World and Their Authority”).

Why?

Because these were the Three Temptations that Jesus overcame near the beginning of his public ministry:

—(1) the temptation to turn stones into bread;

—(2) the temptation to show off by having angels catch Jesus  if he jumped off the top of the Temple; and

—(3) the temptation to worship Satan so he would give Jesus the “authority and splendor” of all of the kingdoms of the world. (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13).

As I discuss in my blog “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”, these are exactly the types of evil people (found in every religion, government and culture) who persecuted and crucified Jesus.

Similarly, these types of evil people will not hesitate to persecute everyone today who follows the Way of Jesus.

Fortunately, America was founded by people who knew the dangers from such evil people.

Therefore, in the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers insisted that every government must secure rights such as Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

To help secure these rights, the Founding Fathers enacted the Bill of Rights.

The very first provision of the very First Amendment in the Bill of Rights forbids “any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”.

The First Amendment also forbids any law “abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Reasonable people of goodwill can disagree how best to implement the Bill of Rights in the 21st Century.

But as followers of the Way of Jesus, how do we determine if someone is a person of goodwill?

Here are some key questions to ask:

—Are they looking for ways to do things for others?

—Or are they looking for ways to do things to others?

—Are they looking for ways to increase the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World?

—Or are they looking for ways to decrease the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World?

—Are they thinking and acting like Jesus who “climbed the Temple Mount” to overcome the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World, even though it meant risking persecution, arrest, torture, and death?

—Are they thinking and acting like the Signers of the Declaration of Independence who “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, [pledged] to each other [their] Lives, [their] Fortunes, and [their] Sacred Honor.”

Despite my great admiration for the Found Fathers and for the government of the United States established by the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, they should not to be treated as if they are infallible, inerrant sacred scriptures that “are God-breathed”. (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

The Founding Fathers and their accomplishments should be honored. (Exodus 20:12). They should not be worshiped. (Exodus 20:3,5; Matthew 7:24,33).

The fallibility of the Founding Fathers and of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights is apparent as you study their pervasive racism, and their brutal  mistreatment of slaves and of indigenous peoples.

The fallibility of the Founding Fathers and of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights bore bitter fruit 80 years later when the American Civil War broke out.

Why?

The evils of slavery and racism continued and grew, nurtured by the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

All human actions and activities go astray—including the actions and activities of the Founding Fathers that resulted in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

We should not be surprised that the Founding Fathers and the documents they wrote went astray.

As the Prophet Isaiah emphasized more than 2,500 years ago (Isaiah 53:6)—and as the Apostle Paul repeated almost 2,000 years ago (Romans 3:9-10,23)—all of us like sheep have gone astray.

As Psalm 14 says:

All have turned away, all have become corrupt;

     there is no one who does good,

     not even one. (Psalm 14:3).

Therefore, the only way that never goes astray is the Way of Jesus:

—the Way that secures Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech.

—the Way that overcomes the Power of Money, the Power of Religion, and the Power of the Kingdoms of the World.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

Why do people fight and quarrel?

How can you be a peacemaker who will be called a child of God (Matthew 5:9)?

How do you discern whether someone is a person of goodwill?

Are you a person of goodwill? How? Why?

READ MORE

For a related blog, please read my blog “Civilizations and Governments: An Independent Path”.

To learn more about the Powers of Money, Religion, and Kingdoms of this World, please read my blogs “Do Not Live on ‘Bread’ Alone”; “Do Not Jump Off the Temple”; and “Do Not Seek the Kingdoms of the World and Their Authority”.

For related thoughts, please read my blogs “Building Houses on Rock: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”, “Jesus Climbs the Temple Mount”, “Spilling Coffee”, “Individuals and Systems, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable”, “Nationalism Is Patriotism Gone Astray”, and “Keeping the Powers of Money, Religion and Kingdoms Separate”.

To learn more about the Way of Jesus, please read my blogs about the Way of Jesus (and the blogs referenced by them): “The Way of Jesus: The Nones”, “The Way of Jesus: Following the Way of the Wisdom That Follows the Way of the LORD”, “The Way of Jesus: St. Francis of Assisi”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth of Christmas”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth of Easter”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Hopeless Confusion”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Doubts”, “The Way of Jesus: The Life”, “The Way of Jesus: Every Knee Should Bow”, and “The Way of Jesus: You Can’t Get There from Here”.