Palin’s E-mails and Christians’ Lives

Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate, is the whipping girl of the liberal establishment. Whatever she does seems to elicit special scrutiny and harsh criticism. She must be doing something right to attract all the negative attention.

When the state of Alaska released 24,000 of Palin’s e-mails from her term as governor, a flock of liberal reporters descended like birds of prey swooping in the for delectable kill. Hoping to pick up some damaging information, they were sadly disappointed. Travel expenses for these raptors and the arduous hours spent in examination netted them absolutely nothing of negative substance. It was all a pompous exercise in futility.

But I suspect the secular media’s sleuthing effort will continue as long as there is the remotest prospect of a juicy tidbit. If other politicos were subject to this degree of scrutiny, few would be found fit for office.

For Christians, the Apostle Paul outlined the ideal blameless testimony in the everyday world. When we use terms like “open book,” we are wisely parroting Scripture. “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3 – NIV). The context shows Paul describing these local Christians’ lives as actual letters from Christ.

Believers don’t belong to a secret society but part of the public domain of reflected truth. When Paul defended the work of Christ before King Agrippa, he said “…this thing was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). Christian teaching is to be open and forthright as was Paul’s in Ephesus. He “kept back nothing that was profitable…but proclaimed it… and taught…publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20).

It is a choice blessing to be able to say as Samuel said, “‘Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind mine eyes? I will restore it you.’ And they said, ‘You have not cheated us or oppressed us, no have you taken anything from any man’s hand.’” (1 Samuel 12:3-4)

My son once worked for a U.S. congressman. In his job training, he was told, “Don’t do anything you don’t want on the front page of the newspapers.” Jesus said as much in Luke 8:17. “For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.” Christ’s ministry was marked by plain talk and open living. “‘I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.’” (John 18:20)

Today, we live in a world of open access with no place to hide. If any accusation against us be made, hopefully it would only be as against Daniel as it was centuries ago.

“So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.’” (Daniel 6:4-5)

Let us be aware that in this spiritually hostile world, enemies of the Lord and His people are sorting through our lives’ personal e-mails one page at a time.

Dave Virkler