Meanings and Musing over the Miraculous!
Yesterday, I sat in my sitting room and was speechless. Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th president of the United States and I was elated. It was somewhat surreal. As if I was trying to stop time and grab a piece of history. The effect of such an election can not be understated. We elected someone, who in my opinion, despite his tremendous gifts, vision, and education, would have been unelectable even ten years ago. What makes it more amazing is that even thirty years ago, this would have been inconceivable.
Analysis of the voting patterns show that this was by far a generational win. Younger peoples supported Obama and came out in ways previously unseen. Now, what is interesting was that in my discussions with younger voters, they supported Obama because of his vision and his vitality, not his ethnicity. In other words, they chose Obama, not because he was an African-American, but because he was a visionary. This speaks volumes regarding some of the healing that is taking place in America. I am not saying that "we have arrived" or that this is a "post-racial" society, but that this election moves us towards these lofty ideals. I have a few quick thoughts that I want to hit:
Yesterday, I sat in my sitting room and was speechless. Barack Obama was elected to be the 44th president of the United States and I was elated. It was somewhat surreal. As if I was trying to stop time and grab a piece of history. The effect of such an election can not be understated. We elected someone, who in my opinion, despite his tremendous gifts, vision, and education, would have been unelectable even ten years ago. What makes it more amazing is that even thirty years ago, this would have been inconceivable.
Analysis of the voting patterns show that this was by far a generational win. Younger peoples supported Obama and came out in ways previously unseen. Now, what is interesting was that in my discussions with younger voters, they supported Obama because of his vision and his vitality, not his ethnicity. In other words, they chose Obama, not because he was an African-American, but because he was a visionary. This speaks volumes regarding some of the healing that is taking place in America. I am not saying that "we have arrived" or that this is a "post-racial" society, but that this election moves us towards these lofty ideals. I have a few quick thoughts that I want to hit:
- Most younger people chose Obama for his vision and overwhelmingly positive message as opposed to his ethnicity. In fact, we can state that many elected him without regard to his ethnicity. This represents a greater victory for a healthy America than if they would have chosen him because he was African-American.
- Follow-up discussions with conservative evangelical Christians (In which I consider myself to a theologically conservative evangelical) reflect the tendency and compulsion to vote based upon fear, misinformation, and prejudice. I have heard more conversations about socialist plots, Islamic fundamentalists, and taxation fears in the last 2 weeks than I ever want to hear again. It is time for the people of God to lead through a clear prophetic voice that is over and above politics. It is time that we stop cowaring in our culturally narrow paradigms and begin to see our role as ushering in the Kingdom of God and not merely reacting to the suspicions and rumors of the "Far right".
- Can we celebrate? Can we, as a nation, see this election as a very, very positive step in our healing? Can we understand what this means to my children (I am African-American) to know that they can be president or for that matter anything else that God is calling them towards? Can we celebrate this election as a validation of the inclusive nature of the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness? Regardless of your polictics, take some time to celebrate.
Take some time this week to consider the implications of what happened this week. Soak in the history and celebrate our healing.
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor