Political upheaval in Tunisia and Egypt has gotten the attention of the world this week. Revolution makes good TV, and people in free countries are rooting for what appears to be, or at least what they hope to be, displaced dictatorial regimes and emerging free countries in North Africa.
Politics matter. What happens in the Middle East and North Africa will affect the West and the U.S.
What we should not do, however, in the face of political change is to assume politics will necessarily determine the future of the region in question.
A Dutch theologian named H. M. Kuitert once published a book entitled Politics Is Not Everything But Everything Is Politics. The best thing about this book was its title. Kuitert was right. There’s a great deal more to life than this thing we call "politics." Our lives cannot be reduced to the limitations of the political arena.
On the other hand, Kuitert was correct in his observation that everything we do involves politics. Politics is how we make decisions. It's the art of the possible. It's the act, action, and interaction of debate and decision.
Politics is easily recognizable between nations. And, of course, Washington, D.C. is synonymous with politics. But there's a lot more politicking going on than that.
Some of us have been victims, or maybe beneficiaries, of office politics. Family politics takes place every time relatives decide to do anything, from a trip to Grandma's to a stop at a restaurant. And what about church politics? Can it be? Yes it can. Church politics frequently produce more heat than light and sometimes occupies more time than the central purpose of the church. So we can agree, everything is politics.
The key point to remember is that all politics involves decision-making, and all decision-making is built upon values. Values are basic beliefs and commitments, the ideals we embrace.
Everything is politics, but politics is not everything. What’s happening politically in Tunisia and Egypt will influence the region’s peace, prospects, and prosperity. But even more than politics, the region’s religious worldview will determine its future.
We can pray and root for regime change that leads to open, free, and democratic societies. But we should remember that God is in charge, holds the heart of kings and kingdoms in his hand, and is as able to work his will in closed societies as he is in open ones. While some mean something as evil, God can turn it to good.
This said, I believe God created and endowed human beings with "certain unalienable rights," so I pray for peaceful, non-violent political change that makes possible just governments and free societies.
A version of this blog was originally recorded for the “Making a Difference” radio program, June 22, 1995.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2011
*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.