“Did I hear you say that you're preaching on politics?”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to this series.”
“Hmm. Good luck.”
Scary, huh? There are two things that make for impolite conversation: politics and religion. I recently decided to take on both at the same time. It felt necessary. If 2024 goes like previous election years, this year could be rough for churches.
But beyond the policy implications, it’s important that preachers address politics because they have become matters of the heart. People carry a broken heart because tribalism has torn apart meaningful friendships. Hearts have been broken because churches have compromised their convictions on the altar of political partisanship. Hearts hurt because we routinely fail to live up to our aspirations as a nation.
But our political discussions do not need to be partisan and divisive. Scripture can speak to our current moment without fueling the anxiety of the day. I’ve been preaching the Book of Daniel to imagine what it looks like when the politics of heaven invade life on earth. Here are some lessons that Daniel has taught me:
- Prioritize spiritual formation. It’s intriguing that spiritual disciplines are at the center of the major conflicts. Chapter 1 has diet; Chapter 2 has prayer (2:17-18), Chapter 3 is worship, Chapter 6 is prayer. Each case fits the guidance of Jesus that our acts of righteousness are for an audience of One, and not to be seen by others (Mt. 6:1). Since they are exiles, the characters in Daniel focus on responding to the Empire rather than controlling it. They commit to nurturing their inner lives, not to amassing cultural power. In anxious moments we should attend to what is inside us rather than obsessing about what is motivating others.
- Take a stand without making a scene. It’s interesting that the major characters don’t go out of their way to instigate conflict. They address it, but they don’t initiate it. In Chapter 3, it’s not even apparent to Nebuchadnezzar that the three friends were protesting (Dan. 3:12); he needs to be told. Sometimes Jesus-followers appear easily offended—triggered by every little thing, which can be off-putting and weak. Using social media as a megaphone for our outrage doesn't match the strategy of Daniel and company. We might think twice before we react. Dallas Willard says Christians should be the hardest people to offend. We can be more resilient.
- Witness, not coercion. Daniel and his friends are committed to their own fidelity and how they live their lives. There is no sense of nationalism here; strangers don’t make the rules. So, they request a different diet (Chapter 1). They gather to pray when confronted with a hostile edict from the king (Chapter 2). They refuse to worship the statue (Chapter 3). Daniel prays in his own house (Chapter 6). At no point are they preoccupied with coercing others or controlling the Empire; they are simply creating a space for their own witness.
- Every concession isn’t a compromise. In Chapter 1 the characters are subjected to Babylonian indoctrination in four ways: education, a name change (Abednego means servant of Nebo), government jobs, and a royal diet. They accept three and only refuse one. Christians who presume that every battle is worth fighting will spend a lot of time fighting.
- Supporting something is not endorsing everything. None of us want to live in a world where supporting something about a person, place, or political platform insinuates that we endorse everything about it. I can love my neighborhood mechanic and still believe the coffee in the waiting area is undrinkable. It’s called discretion and nuance. The four friends in Daniel believe that one can align in some places while abstaining in others.
- Absolute alignment might signal idolatry. Can you imagine how strange the Book of Daniel would be if the friends just ate the royal diet and bowed down to the golden statue? Welp, so much for the whole allegiance to God thing. Christians should avoid aligning ourselves fully with a political ideology. This might be a helpful exercise: I vote _______ (political party) but I am deeply disappointed by their position on _______ (political position). This exercise helps us know which things in our life are concessions and when we might be fully compromised.
All of life is political and our world is political. But that doesn’t mean we have to be partisan, tribal, and divisive. Some healthy conversations around politics can help everyone stay cool this election season. A leader who addresses politics might occasionally get thrown to the wolves. But thankfully we won’t have to deal with any lions.
