Armchair Politicians

After an evening of dinner and deep conversation with friends, I returned home and happily engaged in some soul swimming with my son. It was 1:30 when I drifted in and out of sleep and finally gave in. Getting up early is a joy, and today I am feeling ever so slightly sluggish, and looking forward to my morning coffee pick me up. I want to face today with verve, and going back to sleep with the sun rising in the sky seems sacrilegious!

The combination of sleepy and desiring to get up and go had me saying and praying, this is the only day I have Lord, give me energy for it, yawn! I don't just want energy though, I want to invest. Which got me thinking about how I do spend my time, and interest?

Armchair politicians

I have observed that there is a phenomenon known as the armchair quarterback ... ok, I haven't just observed this, I have heard this phrase to describe a fan that from his living room recliner, sits up talking to the players on the screen, sometimes jumps ceiling high enthusiastically to express glee over a touchdown, or red faced rages at an injustice he has witnessed, calling the shots from his homey abode. He is no where near a field, unless you count the one two blocks over in his neighbourhood, and yet he is so in the game you would think by his actions he would have some sort of impact. Alas, even his lucky socks worn faithfully while watching will not guarantee a win for his favourite team.

Entitled thievery

I don't watch tv. I don't even know how to turn the two in my house on. Having a remote in my hand is an oddity and yet, I get lots of screen time. My phone is not much different from plain old boring tv ... a little bit of entertainment, and lots of commercials from armchair politicians. I have never been interested in politics and recently, I was able to define what the word politician actually means: someone who wants to run players all over the field, telling them which way to go and how, and then taking all their assets while they are distractedly doing their "job". It is basically entitled thievery. 

The armchair politicians are those of us that watch what is happening, have opinions about it, sit down, jump up, applaud, rage, and then sit back down again, only to be taken again and again on the airwaves to destinations familiar and yet unpleasant. Recently, and not for the first time either, I felt heat rising, heart pounding irritation over injustice, after being pumped to the brim with other peoples sent to me videos and pictures, snapshots of how they are experiencing the game. They didn't make the videos, they only shared them ... that is what armchair politicians do ... they watch other people throwing the ball to a receiver that catches and runs, or falls and fumbles with a stumble, while the observer plays monkey in the middle, nary an invitation to participate or touch that ball.

Manhandle the ball

Satan is the supreme politician. He is the one gleefully throwing the pig skin to the lowly receivers that willfully disobey God, and earnestly engage in demonic and dastardly games of catch, run, fall, fumble, stumble. What the political players don't realize is that while they are allowed to periodically manhandle that ball, they aren't ever going to be allowed to keep it, call the plays, or celebrate victory, because the game they play is dirty and deceptive. Without a rule book of fairness, the only rule is win at all costs, with the blood of those that oppose. 

Rooting for a team

The blood of those who oppose is that of the faithful, the ancient and modern day martyrs. Those for whom the law is sacred and namely, the law of honouring life, even at the expense of one's own. There is nothing more glorious than seeing the value of another human being the way God does. When we play armchair quarterback or politician, we are rooting for a team. I know that the people that send me videos are outraged by what they are witnessing, and there is a part of them that wants in on the game, and they are trying to figure out what position to take. They are looking for their others, and they are also looking for people to share their burden with. This is the most natural thing in the world to want to relate, and exchange points of view to come up with a strategy to combat those that stole the ball and have no interest in reasonable rules. 

Being an observer can be stupefying and stifling. This is the trap of staying in the homey abode and calling the shots to a screen that doesn't care what you feel or think. Being fed criminally minded commercials is damaging to mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational health, and increases that stupefied stifled sense of helplessness.

Knowing the enemy 

This is what Satan shoots for every time. Hopeless helplessness is learned after we are exposed to noxious notions propagated over an extended period of time. Knowing the enemy is vitally important, because his playbook is ancient and described perfectly in the Bible!

I could quote scripture, but I won't. I could be clever and look something up that is fitting for my theme, but that does not serve you, or me. The Bible is a wonder to travel through and believing what is written there can literally save your life! This is what the devil loathes. He hates when people step out of his cruel and calculated killing game, and go right to the One who is running the entire show with Love that is so abundant, it knocks off those unlucky socks that never worked in the first place! 

Today is the day the Lord has made. It is the only one available to you. 

How will you expend and invest your energy today, dear one?