Welcome to Tuesday Morning—always a source of encouragement for Christians everywhere.

 

Across the USA today, this is Election Day. Some call it "Independence Day"—a conservative war cry of sorts. Almost everyone calls it "Mid-Term Election Day." Whatever description you give to November 2, 2010, it is a day during which the nation will choose its leaders for the new political cycle beginning in January 2011. Pre-election polls indicate that Americans are divided in their opinions about which initiatives and which leaders are best for them and their state and nation.

 

I seldom put in writing my personal political views. But I do have an opinion about what the newly-elected public officials should be required to read before taking office. The title for this week's TM piece is, "Required Reading for Politicians." One of my suggestions may surprise you. Open the document when you are ready for a post-election recommendation for all who serve. I believe you will be pleased with my choice. Actually, there are two suggestions. You may like them both. Have a great week.

 

Tom Barnard

A Senior Advisor to Anyone Winning an Election

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Required Reading for Politicians

Tom Barnard

 

’ve got the perfect book for politicians. It should be required reading for all newly-elected members of Congress, regardless of their party affiliation. And it would be a great read for veteran politicians as well. It’s a simple book, with simple truths, utilizing a lot of monosyllables—just right for public servants. It offers valuable insights on decision making; relationships; ethics; and getting along with people you don’t like. The title of the book is All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, by Robert Lee Fulghum.

 

Kindergarten is not a new book. It was published in 1988. But it is as current as November’s election results. Fulghum’s most popular book, it remained on the New York Times Best Seller List for two years. More than 16 million of his books have been sold. The list of things he learned in Kindergarten make up the contents of this book. Among the wisdom he gained in kindergarten are these classic thoughts:

 

Share everything…Play fair…Don’t hit people…Put things back where you found them…Clean up your own mess…Don’t take things that aren’t yours…Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody…Flush.

 

Perfect stuff for our state and national leaders to master. My favorite piece of advice on his list is this one:

 

No matter how old you are, when you go out into the world,

it is better to hold hands and stick together.

 

Maybe the secular world would be more attracted to us if they saw us as people who stay close to one another on major issues—as people who really do need each other and who act like it. Jesus had the unique ability to break down barriers between people—social, religious, ethnic, educational, cultural—no matter how entrenched the barriers were. Elections tend to divide people. I believe Jesus always brings healing and cooperation when he is invited to places where people disagree sharply with each other.

 

Do you remember the encounter Jesus had with a woman at the well near the village of Sychar? It is recorded in John’s gospel, chapter 4. Jesus and his small band of followers were on their way—by foot—from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north. They passed through Samaria. It was mid-day and it was hot. While his disciples went into the town to buy food for lunch, Jesus remained behind, resting beside the well. He was alone when a woman came to draw water from the well. She was not pleased to see a man—particularly a Jew—sitting right there at the well. Both remained silent until she prepared to draw water from the well. Then Jesus asked, “May I have a drink of water?” She was befuddled and angry. She snapped back, “How is it that you, a Jew, would ask me—a woman of Samaria —to share my water with you? Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”  He replied, “If you only knew what a wonderful gift God has for you, and who I am, you would ask me for some living water.”

 

That’s how the encounter began—with a simple request Jesus made to the woman for a drink of water.

 

Do you remember how this ended? At the woman’s urging, the men of Sychar made their way to the well to see this Jesus who brought hope to the most notorious woman of their town. And they were so impressed that they invited Jesus and his disciples to remain as guests in their village for a few days. And they did. Here is my point: wherever Jesus is invited into a crisis, healing always follows.

 

As I write these words, America’s mid-term elections are about to begin. Some call these “high stakes races.” Others say this election is “the most important election since…” (you finish the sentence). I do believe this: our nation will not be any more united in 2010 than it was in November 2008. Elections divide people. No one person—whatever their title—can unite polarized people. Except for One. He is the One who broke down cultural and religious barriers between Jews and Samaritans in the village of Sychar some two thousand years ago. I wish His Story would be required reading by politicians everywhere. But it won’t. Neither will Kindergarten be required reading by the same politicians, either. But it should be