Let’s Take the Politics Out of President’s Day

Over the years I’ve read many articles and heard conversations involving Christians who are either feeling as if the world was never better (If their president is in power) or feeling like the sky is falling (If their candidate or party is not in power). I admit I’ve also written some of those articles and joined in the debates.

It’s tempting to think that these methods will change minds. 

The thinking goes that shouting long enough or loud enough, writing carefully crafted blogs, or posting from the echo chamber of our own opinions we can sway or at least shame opponents enough to satisfy our siloed allies.

However when I consider this through the lens of Jesus’ teachings to “love your enemies” and “blessed are the peacemakers” I wonder–what if we took politics out of President’s Day?

While it’s important to acknowledge wrongdoing, and not to cover up any leader’s serious mistakes, what if on this particular day, President’s Day, we pause to honor, remember, and celebrate the good?

Consider this discovery concerning one of our most nondescript presidents:

“A few years ago, the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, MO, made public 1,300 recently-discovered letters that the late President wrote to his wife, Bess, over the course of a half-century. Mr. Truman had a lifelong rule of writing to his wife every day they were apart. He followed this rule whenever he was away on official business or whenever Bess left Washington to visit her beloved Independence.

Scholars are examining the letters for any new light they may throw on political and diplomatic history. For our part, we were most impressed by the simple fact that every day he was away, the President of the United States took time out from his dealing with the world’s most powerful leaders to sit down and write a letter to his wife” (Bits & Pieces, October 15, 1992, pp15-16).

This sweet story is just one of many that remind us that American Christians have much to celebrate and honor. Let’s resist focusing exclusively on the negative, and thank God that after 46 presidents, we’re free to worship without fear.

Presidents come and go . . . but the Lord Jesus Christ is the same — yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:5