Yes, We Can
For a slogan to be trustworthy, it must be true. Political slogans are notable in their vacuousness, and this one is especially meaningless. Basic English grammar says that this sentence needs a direct object: “Yes, we can what?” Even adding another of the words from the same campaign, we know little more to say, “Yes, we can change things.” If I could, I’d change my bald head into a full head of hair, but I can’t do that. Despite ads to the contrary, so far, male pattern baldness can be covered but not undone.
The people of the United States have remarkable power to change many things politically, but it requires knowledge and a bit of effort. Trusting slick campaigns and glib politicians is not the way. Too many of us have accepted that approach, assuming we can trust our elected officials to take care of our country for us. People, who often wouldn’t trust their own mothers and fathers to manage their affairs (once they’re adults themselves), seem to imagine they can trust strangers with well-crafted celebrity-styled images. Our various representatives serve our interests and carry out our wishes only when we hold them accountable; we do that by voting them out of office for not doing what they promise. Frankly, Americans haven’t been doing that. Blaming the “ins” for natural shifts in an economy no one controls is mere reaction, not accountability. Blaming a President for the results of actions taken by Congress is ignorant, as many are.
The news has been especially troubling, of late. As a result, more and more people, including believers, seem to express doubt about the future. While the future is always uncertain, and given that the Lord makes no guarantees to us concerning this world, I find such hopelessness distressing. As believers, we are not powerless. We are intimately connected to the God of power, the One who created and sustains our very existence. As children of God and citizens of His kingdom, we can! We can make a difference, and I have written about that in some detail.
What can we do? I will mention a few things and invite you to add to my list. First of all, we can pray. We have great power in prayer because we pray to the God of all power. Prayer isn’t magic; it is not Aladdin’s lamp filled with wishes. Yes, we may come to God with our needs, problems, and wishes, and he may give what we seek. Often we don’t have because we don’t ask. At the same time, prayer is our line of communication, two-way street. We must listen, seek wisdom, ask for guidance, and respect Him who is, after all, our Sovereign Lord and Heavenly Father. As one song says, “It’s not about me!”
Second, we can love. Without love, we cannot. That’s a big deficiency in most politicians; they love no one but themselves. Their assertions of caring and compassion are a ruse, and not a very good one. Those who often make the loudest claims of caring are frequently those whose personal actions prove the lie. Paul states it plainly; without love, nothing, nada, zilch! A friend sent me a review of a book called Love or Die. Does that sound harsh? It is true, you know. Somehow, we manage to convince ourselves that the Great Commandment is, well, secondary, while we involve ourselves with what’s really important. We delude ourselves into thinking we’ve got it covered, even as we neglect love disgracefully (Isn’t that an interesting word? Fully not grace!) Without love, we cannot. With love we can.
All other sources of individual power—being an example, serving as a mentor, being an agents of change, evangelizing, connecting to our community, and influencing culture—all hinge on love. If we make them mere activities, we are no different from the multitudes of other activists. With love bathed in prayer, we can. Yes, we can! (I realized as I was writing that the idea of love as a key to effectiveness is worth further development. Stay tuned…)