Why Do We Snub Politics? We Shame Ourselves When We Do

We belittle those who are in it, we snub those who choose to serve there and we assume everyone is ill-intentioned who touch the arena. Are we missing something?

Oct 25, 2024

A few days ago as I was preparing for my run and talking to God, I found myself praying, “Why do people look down on politics? Why do we not see it as the beautiful thing that it is?”

(Before you scoff at me and say, who is this dumb woman asking ludicrous questions, please give me a chance.)

I feel it is a valid question worth pressing.

First, What Is Politics?

For clarity, politics is different than government. Politics is the “garment” you put on to maneuver in any system whether it is a church, a sports team, a business, a community. You could call it the “expansive recipe of working with people to get things accomplished.” (It’s not a perfect definition. Just a stab in the dark, really.)

Most of the time the subject of “politics” is tied with campaigns and elections for those who will hold government seats. Politics as a whole is something we all engage in whether we choose to or not, it just depends on the “arena” to which we encounter it. Some grapple with it in the church, others in their business, others among family members. But in general it refers to the “game” that is employed to elected the right people to leadership and advance policies.

One definition says that politics is

“the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.”

For the context of this piece when I say “politics” I am referring to this descriptor:

Politics and campaigns for government power.

And yes it is true that this definition of “politics” is what most people refer to when they opine, “Why are people involved in politics! It’s so evil and dirty!”

When they (or you?) say that, they are short sighted (sorry to burst your bubble). Politics is oh so much more.

Second, What is Politics - Really?

Politics is, yes the garment one puts on to be successful in the world of campaigns, strategies, elections, voter turn out, and government positions.

But more starkly it is also:

a very rough and tumble sport
an industry
a conquest, competition, and kingdom
it is a culture, tribe, and community
it is a family
for some, it is a mission field

Politics is the art of getting things done.

Politics is the arena (the chamber, concourse, field) that you have to dance through to get into an elected role in Government. It is the arena where the volleying (advancing, stopping) takes place of policy ideas, that will become rules that make people’s lives all the better.

We all benefit or suffer from the outcomes of government. It either leads us to freedom or it squelches our freedom. It either makes life better or it makes it worse.

So, wouldn’t it make sense that we have people in government that advocate for our ideas? But instead of standing on the sidelines, we need good people who are also in politics to get the right people and policies into government positions so ideas can be adopted that cause our values to win.

What is Bad About Politics?

What is bad about politics is also what is good. I’ll explain.

The element that causes friction in the political-campaign-world is the same thing that causes friction in education, manufacturing, or small business enterprises. People.

People create tension, power struggles, and conquests for influence. Yay people! They are the most beautiful creation of God and they are the ones that can cause the biggest heartache. They are the very essence of politics. If you don’t like people — tread very lightly in this political arena.

People have bias. They only have one side of a three-sided story. They have loyalties and favorites and rationale for seeing things a certain way. They want to champion certain leaders and squash the advancement of others. This applies to you too by the way.

To me, the world and system of politics (as I’ve defined above) is really about two things:

People and
The process of advancing the right policies for the betterment of - people.

Everything is tied to people and to policies.

So, Why Does Politics Matter?

Imagine a world where you had a government that had no one to hold it in check. It was a system that men and women were in positions of leadership by “the luck of the draw.” Citizens had no option to support certain candidates. They could not stop elections of certain leaders. They had no say.

On top of that, “outsiders” could not pursue a seat of government. If you didn’t have “the lucky ticket” you were simply an onlooker.

American Politics is a necessary appendage of a good system of government. Most nations in the world do not have the government we do (in Abraham Lincoln’s words a government of the people, by the people, for the people).

Our form of government must stay healthy and that means we need good men and women on the inside and they get there by the influence of the parties and the people who put them there. We do not want a Dictatorship (which despite what we feel, we do not have that). We want a Republic.

Good government is necessary (therefore the type of participation government we have, politics is part of that formula). You have to have standard rules of governance in order to have decency and order. The fundamentals that make up those rules, in a majority go back to a foundation of morals and virtues. There has to be a system to establish and maintain that effort (government) and you have to have people working on the inside (sorry, not enough robots yet) of that arena to get it to function.

In order to get into the government roles and government teams you have to have the support of the public to be elected (or get your person elected) into those positions of influence. However it is in that position, that leaders will carry with them worldviews and philosophies that will influence the future direction of the government.

If we do not have good people part of the political and campaign process, getting good people elected into the government positions, we have the opposite and we are impacted by those who serve against our values.

Out of Balance without Us In It

Now as to that world (politics) getting a little too big for their britches? Sure. But in no way should we assume it is the slum and it is the garbage pit. Why not?

Because it is full of people God loves, and it impacts policies that influence more people that God loves, and it is the arena to which you must play to get the right people - and policies - in the seats of government.

It is not a marketplace to avoid. It is one to be engaged with. It is one to pray for and support those who rally to influence it.

Someone is going to influence it and if people who share our worldview are absent from it — you and I will feel more and more the impact of their absence because ideas, policies, and agendas will be pushed that will squelch us not set us free.

It is a holy mission field - one to influence, not to spit on and mock. Don’t let the enemy convince you otherwise.