Today was awesome. Watching the inauguration was moving – and doing so in virtual community was inspiring. And I’m loving the pervasive feeling of hope being celebrated literally around the world today.
But that hope received some push back today. From the cynics who disliked Obama from the get go to the anabaptists who reject all government involvement for good or for ill. While these critiques have some merit, I believe they often miss the point. Most of us have no delusions that Obama the man represents that hope. Our trust is not in him, he has no power to save us. Yes, we like him (with good reason), but what we are celebrating is much bigger than a man.
It is a hope inspired by the winds of change. Change like no longer having the rhetoric coming from our country’s leaders be that of power, oppression, and domination but instead that of mercy, love, and justice. Of course we don’t trust in rhetoric, but it is what forms the zeigeist of the nation. Language does shape us and leads us in paths of action. If we immerse ourselves in the language of hatred and fear then that will become who we are. So to find ourselves in the midst of language encouraging service, justice, peace, love, and mercy, then yes I think there is cause for celebration. Cause for rejoicing in a vision of being that does represent the values of the Kingdom. It isn’t the kingdom itself nor is Obama in any sense a savior, but anything that encourages the values of the kingdom is yes, in fact, good.
And that inspires hope.