Weighing In
Many folks are writing/talking/debating about Sarah Palin. Christian folks, in particular, are contemplating issues of womanhood, parenting, "keeping home", etc. Here are my current thoughts (borrowed from a comment I wrote on her blog) regarding Sarah Palin's personal choices as a homemaker, wife, and mother.
We can unequivocally state that a woman needs to build her home (Prov. 14.1, Proverbs 31, Titus 2). The homefront is under constant attack, being stripped of its vital position of refuge. How many young people visit my home -- a simple home where a family is intact and love is practiced -- only to realize that they themselves have not truly experienced "home"? What a sad revelation this has been. But it makes clear to me God's plan: a home should be a hub of ministry, and in this broken culture, a home that is "ministering" health and love shines like a beacon. We need to see solid Christian homes on an exponential increase.
We can also safely say that children are to be trained, nurtured, protected, and brought to maturity (see momandus.com entries on Loving Your Children). Sadly, in our society, children no longer are considered an appropriate primary investment -- parenting is something we do on the side, after fulfilling our own dreams and success. This is not God's best. No matter what you do all day, your children's needs must have top priority in your choices. God gave those very children to you for a purpose; faithfully nurturing them in the love and admonition of the Lord is not to be considered optional.
These ideals have been somewhat lost in the shuffle as feminists pushed to the front in an effort to gain certain equalities (not all of which are bad.) It's true that we must get things back in proper order.
However, the means for specifically reclaiming hearth and home for family and children is something each individual is responsible for before God. Recognizing the need to build a home and invest primarily in children is essential -- how it looks will vary.
As for the specific situation regarding Sarah Palin, let me point out that we are not trying to determine her correctness as a Christian woman in her choices for building her home and nurturing her children. She is not running for the Mother of the Year Award. Instead we are being asked to vote for the candidate most able to govern steadfastly with Godly principles (at least that's the question asked of Christian Americans, in my estimation) -- and from what I have seen so far, she faithfully upholds Biblical principles.
I may personally hold concerns regarding her choices (and her husband's) of management of their home and family, but that is not the concern put before me. She is not looking for counsel from me regarding such issues. Her pastor can handle that. She is looking for my vote, she is running for office whether I think she should or not, she is faithfully representing the things I consider to be important, she is gifted (by God) in leadership and administration, and I don't doubt for a moment that all of the other men I've voted for in the past have also made questionable decisions regarding the way they function as husband and father -- decisions that I may not consider to be of sound judgment.
The things being discussed are not issues of character, nor are they black and white imputations. Debating and arguing her justification and qualification based on personal choices that are not blatant sin is out; it's non-applicable.
That brings us to the only substantial difference, and it's a big one: she is a woman. Therefore the question for me, as a follower of Christ, becomes this: is it absolute sin for a woman to be in such a position? I'm not convinced, at the moment, that it is.
I am, however, convinced of this: it is absolute sin for a life created by God Himself to be killed outright. That life, being knit together by His own Hands, is invested with a destiny that I cannot know or comprehend. It is an eternal soul that He desires and loves. On that I cannot waiver, I will not waiver. On that I can vote conclusively and confidently. And I might add, on that I will vote confidently.
Just some thoughts... It's a lot to sort out, and sort we must! The election is right around the corner and time is running out on this one.
********************
We can unequivocally state that a woman needs to build her home (Prov. 14.1, Proverbs 31, Titus 2). The homefront is under constant attack, being stripped of its vital position of refuge. How many young people visit my home -- a simple home where a family is intact and love is practiced -- only to realize that they themselves have not truly experienced "home"? What a sad revelation this has been. But it makes clear to me God's plan: a home should be a hub of ministry, and in this broken culture, a home that is "ministering" health and love shines like a beacon. We need to see solid Christian homes on an exponential increase.
We can also safely say that children are to be trained, nurtured, protected, and brought to maturity (see momandus.com entries on Loving Your Children). Sadly, in our society, children no longer are considered an appropriate primary investment -- parenting is something we do on the side, after fulfilling our own dreams and success. This is not God's best. No matter what you do all day, your children's needs must have top priority in your choices. God gave those very children to you for a purpose; faithfully nurturing them in the love and admonition of the Lord is not to be considered optional.
These ideals have been somewhat lost in the shuffle as feminists pushed to the front in an effort to gain certain equalities (not all of which are bad.) It's true that we must get things back in proper order.
However, the means for specifically reclaiming hearth and home for family and children is something each individual is responsible for before God. Recognizing the need to build a home and invest primarily in children is essential -- how it looks will vary.
As for the specific situation regarding Sarah Palin, let me point out that we are not trying to determine her correctness as a Christian woman in her choices for building her home and nurturing her children. She is not running for the Mother of the Year Award. Instead we are being asked to vote for the candidate most able to govern steadfastly with Godly principles (at least that's the question asked of Christian Americans, in my estimation) -- and from what I have seen so far, she faithfully upholds Biblical principles.
I may personally hold concerns regarding her choices (and her husband's) of management of their home and family, but that is not the concern put before me. She is not looking for counsel from me regarding such issues. Her pastor can handle that. She is looking for my vote, she is running for office whether I think she should or not, she is faithfully representing the things I consider to be important, she is gifted (by God) in leadership and administration, and I don't doubt for a moment that all of the other men I've voted for in the past have also made questionable decisions regarding the way they function as husband and father -- decisions that I may not consider to be of sound judgment.
The things being discussed are not issues of character, nor are they black and white imputations. Debating and arguing her justification and qualification based on personal choices that are not blatant sin is out; it's non-applicable.
That brings us to the only substantial difference, and it's a big one: she is a woman. Therefore the question for me, as a follower of Christ, becomes this: is it absolute sin for a woman to be in such a position? I'm not convinced, at the moment, that it is.
I am, however, convinced of this: it is absolute sin for a life created by God Himself to be killed outright. That life, being knit together by His own Hands, is invested with a destiny that I cannot know or comprehend. It is an eternal soul that He desires and loves. On that I cannot waiver, I will not waiver. On that I can vote conclusively and confidently. And I might add, on that I will vote confidently.
Just some thoughts... It's a lot to sort out, and sort we must! The election is right around the corner and time is running out on this one.
posted by Darlene Sinclair at
4:31 AM
6 Comments:
insightful and well-ordered thoughts.
You put into words what has been mulling around in my head since we "met" Sarah Palin!
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That's very well written! Very clear, very comprehensive, and appropriately authoritative!
Great thoughts. I 100% agree with your ending statements. Thanks for sharing.
the one thing I don't hear anyone speak to is, did God call her to this position at this time? could sarah palin actually have prayed about this? does God want her in a position of authority? there are certainly times in the scriptures where we scratch our heads and wonder what God is up to. example: Esther. I'm sure none of us would condone having relations with the king outside of marriage. and yet she saved the jewish nation.
the one thing i know is that we are commanded to pray for those in authority over us. really, we are to first of all to pray for those in authority over us. and i take it to pray for our government officials; local, state and federal and our church leaders. we have abdicated our right and responsibility in the past and i think we need to be obedient now to what the Lord has called us to do. this election is really important on so many levels. i hope we can not only learn about prayer in sunday school but actually do it, corporately and individually.
margaret
I think it's interesting that the vice-presidental runner is who people are looking at when it is McCain who would be president. Unless he dies in office, how much influence will she have? I'm sure that Palin was chosen to draw in the conservative right, but what about McCain? How much should we let our vote be influenced by her since she may have little say if elected? I'm not very politcally savvy so I may easily be mistaken, but she probably will never be president--at least in the next 4 to 8 years.
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