Dear
Friends,
A friend of
mine in South Florida recently sent me a podcast from his retired pastor, Doug
Pratt, in which he addresses the dangers of jumping to conclusions
regarding our current political landscape. He cautions believers not to be
hasty in predetermining the ultimate impact of recent actions taken by our
political leadership. I have transcribed a part of his message, and I hope it
will be of value in reminding us, regardless of our political persuasions, of
the dangers of trying to be political prognosticators.
Pastor Pratt states, "You can't write accurate history while you're living
it. In other words, it's impossible to know what is really happening as events
are unfolding. Only hindsight offers a perspective that can approach
comprehensive truth. But of course, people try to make sense out of life as it
unfolds. Those attempts are lacking or incomplete. No one can see every
dimension of our current situation, and no one knows the future. The tendency
to follow the trap of jumping to premature conclusions is nearly universal.
Across the spectrum, from the smartest and best educated to the simplest
minded, the best and brightest are not immune to this blunder. Journalists are
prone to the arrogance of thinking that they can predict accurately what will
come. Their job is to tell us what is happening now, of course, but it's hard
for them to resist also trying to tell us what will happen. Proclaimed or
self-anointed experts are often wrong. Public opinion polls can also be off
base. And when politicians and journalists rely solely on them, it's a recipe
for error...”
"My
purpose is not to shame or blame, not to criticize or ridicule the mistakes of
premature conclusions that we are all tempted to make, but simply to offer a
caution. The current immensely complicated situation in our world in the spring
of 2025 should make us cautious. Significant portions of American government,
culture and the economy are being disrupted and appear to be going through
major transitions. A wave of presidential actions and changing political
currents feel like a tsunami washing over us. They seem to be unprecedented and
potentially are affecting many countries around the world. What will be the
outcome and how will we judge these events when we can see them from the more
objective perspective of the future? It is possible that the President and his
team will prove to have made one or more blunders of overreach. Leaders can
mistakenly think that they have more power to control their world than they
really do. President Trump's confident promises of the positive effects of his
worldwide tariff, the shrinking of the federal bureaucracy, his deal making
with foreign leaders and his expansion of executive powers will all work to
make America greater may not prosper as he thinks they will...“
“The new
president is not immune to the mistake of overreach, but it is also possible
that President Trump's initiatives will ultimately prove to be successful. His
political obituary has been written prematurely a dozen times. It is possible
that he can manage to pull off the following ambitious goals. Peace in Ukraine
and the Middle East, a reconfiguring of the global economy, a check on Chinese
aggression, the neutering of Iran, the rebuilding of American manufacturing,
the shrinking of the federal deficit, the securing of American borders, the
strengthening of American presence in Greenland and Panama... If he achieved
some of these goals, his second term may be judged by history as a relative
success. If he achieves every one of them, he'll be a 'Rushmorian.' If he fails
in most of them, or if other unforeseen crises and disasters occur in the next
three and a half years, he will be seen as a great disappointment and the
American pendulum will likely swing back in the other direction. I will not
offer a personal prediction. The world is too complex, and the future too
unknowable.”
“How do
Christian citizens act in a time of great transition and uncertainty? By doing that,
which the scripture calls us to do, and also by going against human nature's
impulse to jump to premature conclusions? We wait patiently. We withhold
judgment. We pray, we watch, we trust God, and we focus our energies on living
our own lives faithfully and fruitfully. We don't let ourselves become caught
up in or obsessed with things we can't control and can only understand
partially, if at all. "
I believe
Pastor Doug's words are important truths to keep in mind as we assess
the unfolding of political events. Regardless of our political persuasion,
let us never forget that God is in control of our future, and it is He who
possesses the last and final word.
Until
then I will seek to follow hard after the wisdom found in Proverbs which
exhorts us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on
your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you
on the right paths. Don't consider yourselves to be wise; Fear the Lord and
turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strength for your
bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8)
That’s
good advice for all of us whether, Republicans, Democrats or Independents and
may we never become those whose only exercise is in the excelling of jumping to
conclusions.
Yours in
faith and friendship,
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