When there are stories in the Bible about people like Daniel and Joseph I don't understand how people can think that politics and faith don't mix. I guess part of it comes from the (false) idea that our faith is a private thing, something that is essentially only about me and God, about going to heaven when I die.
Sometimes as Christians we moan that we are being marginalised within a secular society. But part of the problem is that we have removed ourselves from local decision making bodies, so when decisions are being made there is no Christian voice or perspective. And then after decisions are taken we are heard to moan and complain and whinge.
But surely if we believe that our faith has something to do with being a part of the answer to the prayer '...your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...' then surely we should seek opportunities to get involved locally. Not just in terms of politics in the sense of becoming a local councillor or MP, but also by becoming a parent governor or joining the PTA at your child's school, being on the Student Union at college, becoming a union rep at work, being on the staff committee, being a Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator... Which are the bodies that make local decisions? Get involved. Isn't part of the good news about the Kingdom of God the truth that things work better when we walk in line with God's ways. As we seek to bring God's values into situations then surely that will be better for everyone.
