Nov 2, 2010

"Hail Favored One!!" (It's All In The Spin) VOTE TODAY

So I decided to read through the book of Luke again as we approach the Christmas season and I got to 1:28 where the angel approached Mary with the news that was going to turn her world upside down. -
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NAS: And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.
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The Amplified version says it "kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean."
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Yeah. Kind of like when your kids come in and say "Good morning my most beautiful mother! You're the best mommy in the world!! You are so special!!!" And you wonder: OK, what are they up to? What do they want?
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I never noticed these verses in this slant before. The angel had an agenda, he was trying to soften the blow, manipulate the outcome... perhaps I see it this way now because it's Election Day. Politicians have been pushing their agendas hard lately. They're very tricky with how they phrase things; it's all in the presentation, buddy.
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I'm seeing these verses in a new light, perhaps, because I've got my guard up with this political climate. I'm suspicious. Is it ethical to be intentional in your approach or presentation? Is it strategic? Or manipulative? Was God softening the blow or setting the spin? I looked through other times angels delivered God's messages and could only find one other where He used such strategic measures: Gideon.
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Judges 6:12: The angel approached Gideon, a timid, scared little Israelite who was, along with his people, hiding and running a lot, reactive instead of proactive. The angel sat down under a tree near Gideon and casually said, "The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior." I wonder if he had to look away and snicker at that? Gideon later became a Valiant Warror, but seriously, now? He was threshing wheat in the winepress so as to hide. Even the angel scared him silly (6:22,23 where Gideon is seen jumping up and down, perhaps hands on head, screaming "OMG, I'm gonna DIE!!!!") You really should read the banter between Gideon and the angel in chapters 6 & 7, it gave me a Steve Urkel picture of Gideon. I need to read the part where he becomes a Valiant Warrior just to erase the silly picture I have of him in my head.
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Anyway. It's Election Day. I know you're confused and feel manipulated and deceived. It's hard to tell which messages are spoken with integrity and which deliberately mislead you with their spin. But get out there and vote. Your vote counts. (Your uninformed vote counts, too, as seen recently with the SC nomination of Alvin Green) (ie. don't just vote for the guy at the top of the list) So. . . come to think of it . . maybe you shouldn't vote if you don't know what you're doing. Here's what's up for vote in SC.

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