Jeff Adams

Ricardo and I made it to Amsterdam last night and enjoyed a good night’s sleep and a relaxed morning today. The group arrives tomorrow and relaxed will no longer be in my vocabulary. I have been unable to follow the US news for the past week, so I have been in the intersting position of not being innudated with all the ads, talk and analsis. I have heard, of course, that we have a new President-elect in the United States. I thought you might find it interesting to hear a perspective from literally outside the box. Here are some ideas that cross my mind.

• I could have told you this months ago, but since I have been traveling in five countries on four continents these past four weeks, I have met not a single person, believer or otherwise, who was in favor of John McCain. This is not meant as political commentary by me, but just simply telling you that this is the reality “out here.” Though I could not hear any commentary from any of the US networks, what I have heard is an enormous, collective sigh of relief. Believe it or not, the US elections had made up the prominent headlines and stories in most of the rest of the world. In the mind of many outside the US, Obama’s election embodies everything that they believe has made the United States such a great nation and a land of dreams.
• In our church we have people who are very committed to one political party or the other. Those of us who are citizens of the United States all had the freedom and responsibility to vote. I encouraged people to take into account not a single issue, but to consider a kingdom of God view and vote according to the individuals they believed to best represent that view on the whole.
• The elections are over. We all voiced our desire (I voted before leaving), but we must recognize now that God is the one who oversaw and executed the results according to his purposes whether or not we completely understand them (Romans 13:1-7).
• Our responsibility now, if you beleive the Bible, is to honor President-elect Barack Obama (1Peter 2:17) whether you voted for him or not and whether or not you agree with him. We also have the responsibility to pray for him and other elected officials (1Tmothy 2:1-4).
• A good percentage of our church is comprised of African-Americans. Putting aside all political views, I sincerely rejoice with them in the fact that a black man is now going to hold the highest office in our land. Regardless of politics, having a person of color in the Presidency is confirmation for many that America truly is a land of opportunity for all.