Perhaps you know the story of Antony and Cleopatra, the tale of two lovers caught in a web of politics and culture beyond their ability to master.  I mention Antony and Cleopatra today in terms of the play that William Shakespeare wrote about them.  If you have a chance, read it.  When you do, you will see there portrayed the inevitable result of emotions mixing with politics to generally ill effect.  Without giving too much of the plot away, I observe that it is an apt picture of what all of us should, but never will, avoid when participating in a given political process.  That is, letting our emotions be the ultimate arbiter of our politics and political decisions.

    Granted, none of us can excise emotions completely from our political decisions.  Nor should we.  On the other hand, letting our personal affections for one way or another become the sole determinant of how we act politically almost always results in some degree of tragedy.  Or at least an unfortunate misunderstanding.

    We humans are inherently political animals.  And we are inherently emotional animals.  Our challenge is to take what we, image bearers of a God who is intrinsically personal, have been given and use it to the greater betterment of the society in which we live.  And not our own aggrandizement.  As we note the countless efforts being made as we speak to balance rationality, emotion, and religion in formulating a viable political state, I pray that those doing so will remember who, according to sociologist Christian Smith, they are:  moral and believing beings.

    And be acutely aware of their human fragility.