The Health Care Distraction

Congress recently passed a very controversial health care bill that President Obama signed into law. As with many of you, I have very strong feelings about this issue. However, we must avoid the temptation of losing perspective. It is so easy to get distracted by such events and lose sight of what really matters, eternal things. I know, because I have been guilty many times.

Let me preface by saying that I am not suggesting we disengage from the political process. We should be involved. However, Christians must remain focused on the main issue, the Gospel. As Christians, we know God is Sovereign and that we have victory in Jesus. With that knowledge, we must not walk around as defeated and frightened American citizens.....but as Citizens of Heaven, eagerly awaiting our Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who possesses the omnipotent power to bring everything under His control (Philippians 3:20-21).

As Christians, we are to be the most optimistic people in the world. We know how all of this ends. Our mission, in the meantime, is to be Gospel busy. Multitudes of people are in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the only hope for America and the world. Imagine if all of us were as willing to share our faith as we are to share our disgust over health care. Imagine if we used even the same amount of energy lifting up Christ as we do voicing our disagreement with politicians.

The things we see shaping America are not the real problem. Abortion is not the problem! Homosexuality is not the problem! Pornography is not the problem! Socialism is not the problem! Should we take a stand and speak the truth about these things? Yes! But let us remember, as someone once said, "The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart!" The things I just listed, as well as multitudes of others, are merely the symptoms of the real issue. The real issue is sin! The only cure is Jesus Christ! If we spend all of our energy fighting the symptoms, while ignoring the real issue, we accomplish little. As Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, at best we make the world a better place from which to go to hell.

In the opening chapters of Romans, Paul painted a very accurate and vivid picture of the world. In his description, he listed many of the symptoms of a sinful society. It is a picture that clearly resembles modern day America (Romans 1:18-31). Paul went on in the following two chapters making it clear that all of humanity suffers from the same disease...sin. Then in 3:21-26, he pointed to the only hope, Jesus Christ. My friends, that is the same task you and I have been commissioned by our Lord to fulfill, the proclamation of the Gospel to all people. Without Christ, our neighbors are going to hell even if they agree with us over health care.

My prayer is that each of us see the real issue, and that all of our worldly frustrations would become burdened hearts for the lost in need of the Gospel. Don't miss the opportunities all around you.