I’ve been navigating a minefield lately.

A minefield strewn with the bombs of anger and fear. Anger at recent events and fear of the reactions to them. I’ve had difficulty separating what it means to be a follower of Christ from what it means to be a citizen of my country.

As a Christian I’m called to love God and love other people.

Part of loving God means understanding that ultimately He is in control and whatever happens, He allows it.  Another part is recognising where mankind had strayed outside of His will and damaged His creation, and doing what I can to help put it right.

Loving other people means to see them as God sees them. Broken, hurting people, as much in need of His healing touch as I am. It also means to see where sin and evil has caused hunger, and want, and pain,  and doing what I can to alleviate that. But just as important as meeting people’s physical needs is telling them of God’s love for them and their need of His forgiveness and salvation.

I’m also a citizen of a secular country, a nation that welcomes all viewpoints. As such I have both a right and a responsibility to speak out against policies and directions that I believe are harmful to our country. But I’m bound as a disciple to do so with an attitude of love and care and respect.  That part I’ve struggled with lately.

As I’ve struggled with some very tough issues, God has reminded me of a principle taught in our safe driving classes: If you focus on what is directly in front of you, you can’t see what’s in the distance, but if your focus is in the distance,  you will see what’s up close as well.

Meaning that if my focus is this world, I won’t see His plans,  but if my focus in on Him, then He will show me what I need to do here as well.

May we all focus on Him.