Politics and Peace: A Different Kind of Christian (w/ Ron Hutchcraft)

Brad: Hey everyone, if you haven't noticed, we are living in some really tumultuous times, especially as it relates to politics. Now we're not talking politics today. But we are talking politics and peace, how to be a different kind of Christian in this world. We hope you'll stay tuned. There's going to be some very practical takeaway. And I've got a special guest with me today, my dad, Ron Hutchcraft. So let's go mad. Welcome everyone to Go Mad with today Brad and Dad. Ron: Yes, Brad: my dad, Ron Hutchcraft, in the studio with us. Doug is off this week, but uh somehow sad he still let us into the studio. So thank you, Doug. I miss Ron: him so much. Brad: He'll be back on the next episode, but uh we're excited we've got Jesse behind the glass there as well. But it is gonna be a great day here as you May have heard in the intro, we're gonna be talking about something that could, you know, we don't tune us out. Tune in. You want to make sure you stay tuned into this because we're gonna be talking today about politics and peace. A different kind of Christian. And as we kick off November here, I love November, guys. I don't know about you. I love November because the air is crisper. Thanksgiving is on the horizon. I can pull out if you're watching on YouTube my flannels. That's right, I can pull out my flannels. And the political ads disappear. Ron: Ah. Brad: It's like Christmas came early. Ron: But yes, and the other good news is Soon replaced by the pharmaceutical ads again. How about that? Brad: Which someone may need after all the political Ron: Yeah, but the problem is have you ever timed those things? I have. It's about twenty seconds of all the good things it'll do and forty seconds of how you might die. Wait, is that Brad: the political ads? And the medical ones could Ron: be either one. Brad: That would be great on the political ads. I I have to tell you, every year I do somehow get surprised. I know I shouldn't be at this point, but how mean People can actually be. Brutal. It's I guess I'm the eternal optimist that some point we'll come to our senses and write the ship. And I know everyone says that ship is sailed, but I'm praying it comes back to harbor at some point. I and and I will say this, Dad, you may have I I know I know ads have gotten more fierce, more intense over the years. But seeing it through my kids' eyes. Ron: Interesting. Brad: It gives me a glimpse. Now they're the next gen voters. Uh my son, he just turned 18. Ron: Did you know? They are. They are. They just figured that out. Yeah. Brad: And they see these ads and I'm like Does anyone actually want young people to go vote? Because when they see these, I think they just get turned off to the process overall. So Those are done, but let's face it, the effects of those because they're representative of where we're at and where our hearts are at. Ron: You know, uh it they didn't the meanness, uh the unforgiving brutal, uh putting down, you know, uh literally destroying the other person with labels and accusations and often lies, probably Um Brad: well someone has to be lying because the commercials say two different things. So Ron: This is not new. This didn't just pop up because there was an election. This r has revealed what's been in our hearts and in our our relationships have any ti uh online in the last couple of years, few years I mean it's nasty, it's brutal, it's angry, it's destructive of other people. And so uh we already had this, and so it just now has a public forum And uh in and so it becomes now a part of of what was supposed to be entertainment, not much entertaining. So and you know interesting, Jesus said the the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. So this is a s no and that's that that's not encouraging, is it? Brad: No, that's a very telling verse. I mean that uh Ron: that out uh that well this is stuff which's already in our hearts and Uh and and sometimes i when your candidate is putting down the other one, sometimes do you go, Yeah, you go, uh you know. Uh yeah, people are you there kinda going Yeah, you take him down. Brad: You know? And and it's it's hard because the reason this is an important topic, the reason we're tackling this is yes When you're listening to this, the elections done. Now we don't know when all the results will be done, but uh the the elections are done But it lingers on because let's face it, November also brings family time. It brings seeing each other more as the holidays roll around. And and the the feelings from this election, no matter which side you're on If your party was on the more winning side, it's just like, oh, I'm gonna tell people now and I now now we'll get it right. And if you're on the quote unquote losing side, all of a sudden you're just like, Well, I don't I don't know if I could see people because they're just gonna taunt me and everything. Ron: By the way, yeah, we're such pendulum people. Brad: Yeah. Ron: Notice that we we elect the opposite of what we elected the last time. Brad: Oh, it's true. Ron: So you could you can go ahead and gloat over winning but Brad: for two years Ron: but next election You're gonna be on the other side again. Brad: Well, it's hard because according to polls, I'm sure you've heard this, Dad, one growing reason that people don't go to church And a lot of times or even reject Jesus outright is because of how they see Christians handling their political view. It's not whether they have a political view. We all know each other has a political viewpoint. but it's how those come across. A political party is not part of the gospel. And and it's important. I know, I know, I'm sorry. I should have warned you I was gonna say that. I it is It is so important. This is a huge ambassador issue. And that's what we're all about on GoMad is helping people be more effective ambassadors. Ron: Brad, it is a huge ambassador opportunity. Brad: Oh that is good. Ron: At this point where there is so much darkness and anger and uh brokenness between people. You know, before people can believe in a savior that they can't see, they usually have to believe in a Christian they can see who belongs to them. And when Jesus gave what's called the Sermon on the Mount, I call it the Mount the Mountain Manifesto of Jesus, he was calling us I mean it was r it's one of the most revolutionary speeches uh probably in all of history, if you want to call it a speech, his teaching And in there he is calling us to another kingdom. He said, I have come to bring the kingdom of God, and I want people, when they meet you, my followers, I want them to get a glimpse of what my kingdom is like. So you got the kingdom of earth, which our elections are part of, and then we got the kingdom of God. And that kingdom of God, we're supposed to be like walking kingdom advertisements, you know. If you choose Jesus, this is what you'll be like. And that's where Jesus uh talked it's called the Beatitudes. Blessed are those who and then he gives a list of those people And that word blessed also means happy. Makariasa means it means it can mean happy too. And so blessed or happy are those who and then he comes up with things like who are meek, who are tenderhearted, who are merciful. uh who are pure in heart, who are peacemakers. Um and and you're you're you're a you're a totally walking alternative I don't know if you remember how Go Mad started, but y you were you were probably like you were like Brad: Oh no, I remember. I mean I remember the actual first day. Ron: But um your sister was I think in second grade and she came home from school and she said, Daddy it's so bad in school, the kids are so They don't have any respect and they talk dirty and they're m they they hurt each other and all and she went down went down this list. She was very discouraged, which uh another grown up listener right now might be going It's it's kind of discouraging right now. It just it the darkness gets to you. Uh and and I said, Well honey, do you know why a lot of them act that way? Is because they think it's the only way to be Cause I've never seen anybody else be a different way. And if all the kids and they're like, well everybody uh talks like this, everybody treats people like this, but if you're different It's not everybody. And you can go to school not just to make friends or make grades. You can go to school to make a difference. How about we think of it this way? Go mad. And literally at the kitchen table, those words came out, and I mean I can't believe how far they've gone now. Brad: Well, I that's why when sitting looking at the podcast, I was like, that's still what our desire is to help people go make a difference. Like you told us to do all those years and and that's really what today's about. The we Look, we probably don't need to spell much more of the problem because we we all feel it. We all live in that. We walk in that tension. You walk into any room and it's just like the uh any political topic comes up and there's just this tension because how do we navigate that nowadays? So We're that's what we're gonna talk mostly about today is ways to be Christ's ambassador and to make a difference. Can I throw one out there that I think has just been Ron: let me say just uh I'm I'm ha I'm on I'm on the edge of my seat almost waiting to hear it. But Uh if you're a follower of Christ, realize that it you are the most important person in the room any place you are. Now not because you're so such a big deal It is because you have the God connection. You have the Jesus presence in your life that can bring Jesus into the room. How would that room change if Jesus walked in? Oh, I can't I mean that's wah that's mind blowing to think about that. People would be all of a sudden, I mean, nasty would turn to nice and you know whatever. Well You can be the difference. You are the walking, talking alternative to anger and brokenness and hostility. and prejudice and all the rest. You are the walking alternative. That's why I say this is this is when Rise up, God's kids. You you can bring another kingdom into the room. You can bring Jesus into the conversation through you. That makes you the most important person in the room. Brad: When you realize that, Dad, when you have the right perspective, of that I am the it is Christ in me, the hope of glory. When you walk into the room and you're like, man, I I am carrying with me the hope of glory. Oh ho, there's an awesome responsibility that comes with that. It should be weighty to us and again Ron: opportunity. Brad: It is, it is. And so I would say one thing I would encourage you to do this might be a little priority reset for folks in some cases. And and I have to do it sometimes when all of a sudden when you know what's at stake in an election, we're not minimizing that Voting is important. Elections are important. Knowing what the Word of God says on some of the key issues and letting that govern your vote. Important, essential in our in our life. But It doesn't mean we're always going to have the right people in our mind elected. God has a plan in this. So don't act like your favorite politician or political party can do what only a messiah can. Ron: Ooh. Brad: Because when we do, it can either make us really prideful when our party wins. And it c can also make us feel sounding hopeless. Ron: All is lost. Brad: When the party doesn't. And when I say the party, it's whoever you vote for. I don't have a party in mind when I'm saying it's whoever you vote for. Romans 15 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. Why So that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Ron: Overflow with hope. Brad: I love that. Yeah. Ron: Overflow with hope. Brad: So we should be we should be people who are overflowing with hope when we enter a room and whatever the conversation is, we're overflowing with hope. Whoever, whatever political party is in power, we are overflowing with hope. Hope. Ron: Everybody else will be overflowing with something. Brad: And so when we're overflowing with hope, we also can I can be the light in a dark room. And let's face it, Dad, you've you've shown us this and taught us this. And I will say, you've taught it, but when I say shown us, that has been the real key. Because you've shown us what it is to be light in a dark place. You we saw that growing up and people Notice. Ron: Yeah. Brad: People notice when you are different and when all of a sudden your emotional well-being is not swayed. by the topic du jour, by whatever is happening. Ron: You speak French. I do. Brad: Those two words. I can so I can and so I can order soup. That is the only reason that I go. Ron: You know, um it is it is an incredible experience to be the one Who brings joy into a room full of sadness? Who brings hope into a room full of s of discouragement? who brings love into a room full of hostility and and I'd have to say sometimes even hatred. You uh you introduce, you are the difference. But in order to do that, you have to pre-decide how you're going to respond. Because if you react, then when they're mean, you're mean. When you're when when they're nice, you're nice. When they yell, you uh yell. And when they're accusing, you're accusing And that's called thermometer, okay? Because a thermometer says cold when it's cold and hot when it's hot and so on. There's something that sets the temperature. It's over on the wall here in the studio, is the thermostat. And the thermostat controls the temperature and the th eventually the thermometer catches up with it and it starts saying what the thermostat did. Now after this science lesson that I've just given you on home decor, um The fact is, you have the power in Christ to be the thermostat that sets a different temperature in the room who makes it cooler in a room that's hot, that makes it warmer in a room that's cold. And uh and whether it's your family, whether it's your spouse, whether it's your kids, your parents, your grandparents, whatever. Oh friends, what uh b office co-workers, neighbors? Thanks, Brad: we're to be the third. Ron: No kidding. So um yes past the no white meat not the knife the the right uh and people are are hungry for that and when and and it just that i y you become really an agent of change, but you've got to have an identity that is not a political identity. I am not what the party I vote for I am not a supporter of this particular candidate. Brad: That's good. Ron: That can't be who I am. I have another kingdom identity. My identity, my passport , my ID says that I am a child of God and a representative of Jesus, an ambassador for Christ, which you guys talk about every time If that's my identity and I get that squared away, and I'm not identified the other way, then I can act instead of react. And I've already decided how I'm gonna treat you, however you act, whatever you call me, whatever you do to push my buttons I've already decided. I will, as Peter said, Peter, of all people, the guy who chopped off a guy's ear, Peter says, return cursing with blessing. Brad: Wow. Uh that predeciding is so key. Uh in uh a lot of homes nowadays, uh this I've never really thought of it this way, but we have smart thermostats. That's what they call it. Thart s Thart? Uh smart thermostats. I can do this, people. Careful. Uh the The smart thermostats, you what I can do in my home is I can preset the thermostat for certain times. That's what you're talking about here, is we are the new smart thermostats because I'm saying And I'm gonna ask you about a specific thing here, Dad, in just a minute. But the um I I'm saying that I'm going to be visit my family this weekend, my my in-laws or whoever you might be going to see. Well I'm gonna preset my smart thermostat. There you go. for to be the right temperature no matter what the setting is. Ron: I'm not gonna wait to see how they are. Brad: Yep. Ron: Uh no, I'm not gonna respond I respond out of my real identity, my kingdom ident my kingdom of God identity I am a representative of the Lord Jesus, which means I want to be what Jesus would be in this conversation. I made up my mind before I ever hear from you. Brad: So you mentioned the rooms that we're in. I want to ask about a specific one. I this is uh I I um probably won't be much of a curveball to you, but A room that almost everyone is in nowadays is social media. Ron: Right. Oh, that's everybody's room for sure. Brad: And that is so so we the When we walk into an actual room face to face, we have to deal with people. And that's important because that's where the opportunities are. It's like, okay, so now I I we have to work through this because we're face to face and I can't just, you know, close my browser. I have to, I have to talk with someone. When all of a sudden we are ambassadors who are posting online hate about a person or political party. Talk to us about that. So when we're in that room because the First Timothy two, one and two comes to my mind. First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Thanksgivings for all people For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified every way. I need to post that above my uh computer somewhere, but I Uh what would you say to people who just they're that they're blasting people all over social media. They're sitting behind a computer screen, there there's very little accountability because they're just able to post it and walk away What about that room? Ron: I don't think uh th that that it's a good time to try to make points because they're not listening. Brad: Yeah. Ron: It's uh open mouth, closed ears. And they're uh they're there to uh be heard, uh not to listen And so it first of all, it's not a great environment to try to insert, say, let me read a few Bible verses to you now. Um th that that that that's not the timing. I think uh You can listen, but I wouldn't stick around too long because the poison starts to erode what you predecided. I think you can say th this would be amazing that Let's say that Charlie Schlobotnik was their candidate. Brad: Yeah, I voted for him twice yesterday. Ron: I just made that up. Uh that's a shame. Brad: Um I wrote it in on the screen. Ron: But to say, well you know, uh what I'm I'm I'm actually uh praying for Charlie and for for him to him to really be uh um an an effective leader um because actually you know I try to run run my life by the manufacturer's instructions uh otherwise known as the Bible, the world's best selling book, and uh and it says to pray for those in authority. So and that and if they know that you probably didn't vote for Charlie Slobotnik, that's gonna be amazing What you have done is you've just attempted, you melded it out a little bit. They may still come screaming back and calling your candidate by all kinds of names. but to say, well I uh I'm I'm voting for our country and I'm voting for our city right now, you know, that God will God will bless our city and bless our country and And um now the the election's over so the decision has been made. Brad: That's really the key. The decision has been made and so we don't need to be uh the Ron: Keep fighting the battle to when the battle's over Brad: keyboard warriors of just trying to to to dissect the election because we now live in a day and age where any theory can be out there and we're not gonna go down that rabbit trail of Who won, who didn't, where was it legit, was it not, and everything. But but that just puts us in a position of just continuing the fighting and the arguing. What I've seen on social media be so effective and I Doug and I tried to do this. You do it with uh your the reels you post, and I would encourage people, just a side note, if you haven't checked out my dad's social media reels on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook where he just is sharing hope. He's sharing hope in these one minute to 90 second reels and you should definitely check them out because I would say if you don't know what to post, reshare one of those. Ron: Thank you, Brad. You read that card I read very perfectly. Brad: But it's really because that's where the difference is. When we focus on Topics of hope. When we aren't saying a and uh not to not to not to post a verse that is kind of combative or whatever, because they can come across the wrong way. Ron: Yeah. Brad: But just to to say something, ask your neighbor, ask that person on social media, hey, how are you doing today? Is there any way I can pray for you? Ron: That's great. Now what you've just done is you've said what I'm thinking about today is our relationship. Yeah. That's and that comes under the heading of Jesus and and his Beatitudes. Uh blessed are, and that that is blessed are the peacemakers. Uh, you know, for they are the children of God. So that that is fantastic. Be you are a peacemaker. You are not if there's brokenness on their end Because they think you have well, you probably supported uh Charlie F uh Fiffel Duke. Brad: Slobotnik. It was Slobotnik. Ron: Well and Fiffelduke is the other one. Fiffelduke was running against the five. And Marvin Messmaker was the independent candidate. Um Brad: people are so confused right now, they're like what's going on. Ron: I don't know. Brad: But I I think that I think that it is really true though that when we are able to be I I prayed before we recorded. I I made up a word which I get from dad, but I um said that I was just praying that the salt would be saltier and the light would be lightier, which I think is brighter. But uh it's That's what's really needed is that salt and light is needed in every situation we're in. Social media, around the table. Uh-huh. You mentioned in the office, and that's a tough one because if you're working in Whether it's a secular workplace or if you're in a Christian workplace, not everyone believes the same way. All of a sudden there is that salt and light that is needed. And especially if it's an environment where people don't know Jesus Wow, you have that opportunity. You keep saying that, Dad, and I love that we have this opportunity to show the gospel, to not just. Tell it, but to show it in a way that will connect with people and draw them to Jesus. Ron: And uh Colossians 4, 4 tells us to always, always it says, let your speech be re seasoned with grace. And so You are extending grace. In Galatians chapter 1, which I just read this morning, it says that God has called us to live a life of grace. What is grace? It's undeserved love. So they're not doing anything very lovable. Great, you get to give them what God gave you, which is undeserved love. And You didn't deserve God's love for sure. We were not be we didn't do lovable things, but he loves us anyway. So you come you you you bring grace into the conversation, you bring grace into the a the relationship and uh it you know, with salt and light having com I well I used to read that and go Salt and light. Okay, I would not just shine light on my food to change its flavor, nor would I sprinkle sprinkle salt around the room to make uh brighter. Yeah, so I could see. Yeah. Um no, they don't seem to have anything in common. Oh yes they do. They both change their environment. So, I mean you you you know your your your potato or your popcorn or whatever, salt changes it. Meat, you know, salt changes it. As light does. Light totally transforms a room. Darkness can't put light out. You can i i no matter how dark it is, th doesn't the light doesn't suddenly go out. but light changes darkness. So they both change their environment. Jesus said, You are the light of the world, you are salt and light. Change the environment. And that's when they do that verse you quoted a few minutes ago when you say, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, so that through the Holy Spirit you may overflow with hope Man, the guy who brings the girl who brings hope into the room, brings joy and brings peace in, is gonna be a magnet, and that's exactly what an ambassador for Christ wants to be. because you are representing him. This is how you are when you have Jesus. Brad: I just got this image in my mind. We're at a uh local musician. Ron: I see in your eyes a little in whimsical what it was there. Brad: It was Silver Dollar City. Uh-huh. Great Park. And uh we were there and it was a a warm day in October. And so we're there with some of our uh native young people at the Leadership Center here. And they convinced me, Dad, uh, I was wearing jeans and they convinced me to ride the boat ride there that you were guaranteed to get wet. Ron: You're guaranteed. Brad: And and you are and so so we're we're we're going down this final slope and it was positioned for me to get drenched. And uh and it turned slightly and I watched this wave overtake my oldest son who is sitting across from me. So he he was drenched And and w I'm looking at this wave now and I'm thinking, that should be us walking into a room as we overflow with hope. We should be this wave that a wave of hope that overtakes people. So when they leave that room, they got hope all over them. They are just like, hey, I I was just with someone who was different. I was ex I experienced something different. And I will tell you from the heart of a dad. Get this right at home, folks. Get this right at home, first and foremost, because that is where your ambassadorship starts. It is with your husband or your wife. And it is with your children. Because if we are not representing how we talk about others, if we're not representing Jesus and how we talk about others at home. Just you don't want to see what the downstream effect of that is because they're gonna learn how to talk about people from You. Ron: Wow. Brad: Especially the dads in the home. They're gonna learn to talk about Jesus and talk about others based on what you are doing. So please. Take it seriously and model that in a way that will show them hope is not lost because of an election, because my hope is found in Jesus. Ron: You know, uh a lot of people after an election, uh somebody's gonna feel kinda hopeless because, oh boy, we're doomed. Brad: Yeah. Ron: Uh, you know, 'cause my guy didn't get elected and your guy did. That's an indication that my identity and my hopes have been in a political candidate, a political party. And we all lose when they l well listen. The fact is our hope we have this Hebrews 6. 19 says Speaking of Jesus, we have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure Please don't start thinking of a political messiah that some politician is gonna they will believe me he or she is gonna disappoint you, gonna let you down. and they don't have the power to change hearts. And if indeed that what our mouth is speaking is what our heart is full of We don't have a mouth problem. We have a heart problem, which ends up infecting our mouth. And only Jesus can change a heart. And Stick with that. That's what really matters. Make sure you got the right messiah. Brad: Dad, I've got w one more thing I want to say to folks, but before I wrap us up, uh what are some final thoughts you might have in this? Ron: Just real quick in this whole area. Avoid identifying people with labels. People are not labels. What would happen if every person in our world, when we saw them, we saw a sign on their forehead that said, Imago Dei, image of God. that that's who they are and this uh i i i including the the the people that are just so wrong it seems about uh wrong about things That is an image of God Jesus thought was worth dying for a person. So avoid labels. A person is not a label. Secondly, I'm going to reiterate this. We talked about it earlier. Decide in advance how you're going to respond to negativity. Thirdly, the Bible says, pray for your enemies. Uh do not do not hate them, do not treat them like they treat you. Brad: Huge one. Ron: Pray for them by name and then If there's something broken because of all of the all of the negative and darkness in the air, and if you've allowed some brokenness to develop, Don't leave it broken. As the representative of Jesus in this situation, you're the one who should take the initiative. to uh a apologize, to forgive, to do whatever needs to be done, to not leave brokenness behind because of political choices. And then Get back to being that person in the room who shows him what the room would be like if Jesus walked in. Brad: Amen. I want to say a word real quick that maybe you've been listening today, maybe you've been hearing this episode, and all of a sudden you're like, I'm tired. I'm tired of trying to find my identity, my hope, my future in just this system we currently live in. If that's you, just know that the Word of God says that if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you can have that relationship with him. And I would encourage you, if you're ready for a real change and the hope that we have been talking about this entire half hour together, go to unnewsstory. com Just check out a newstory. com and right there you'll get to hear from my dad, Ron Hutchcraft, just a little bit of what it means to start that relationship with Jesus. You can have that new hope. That new breath of fresh air and the eternal life starting today. Dad, thank you so much for just being part of this conversation today. Time always flies by when I'm sitting and talking with you here. So thank you so much. And from all of us to all of you, until the next one. Do I get to do this? You do. Go man!