(ThyBlackMan.com) Upon further review, I need to clear the air. I have said on many occasions that I truly love my Republican brothers and sisters. I respect them, I pray for them, and I forgive them for their transgressions. As their friend – as my brother’s and sister’s keeper – I am compelled to inform them that it’s time for the Grand Ole Party to grow up. Consider this column to be an intervention.
Do I have your attention? Good. Let’s proceed, shall we?
In the world within which we live, someone saying the phrase “grow up” to another individual is almost always poorly received. However, I humbly submit to you that somebody telling you to “grow up” is never an insult. It is actually a compliment. Please allow me to elaborate. Whenever anyone uses that phrase towards you, that person is simply reminding you to be that which you were born to be. He or she is calling for you to be holy – as the God we serve is holy. That phrase is a verbal prompt for you to live your life in such a way as to be blessed. 
Once The Lord blesses you, you can then be a blessing to others. The physical aspect of growing up is automatically taken care of. But emotional, mental, and spiritual growth are all optional for us. We can choose to grow up in these areas individually – or not. If we choose not to grow in these ways, then we elect to suffer the consequences. God is up. Heaven is above us. Growing up means drawing closer to Him. I said “grow up” – not “grow down”.
The Holy Bible is suitable for inspection, instruction, and correction. 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. So I stand firmly on God’s Word when I tell Republican leaders and constituents that their foolish ways must be changed.
GOPers, your signature policies tend to ensure that hungry Americans starve, that uninsured Americans remain vulnerable, and that unemployed Americans stay unemployed. Your party seems obsessed on disenfranchising women in terms of their reproductive rights, disenfranchising children in terms of their access to a good education, disenfranchising elderly Americans of the social safety net in their twilight years, and disenfranchising minorities in terms of their rights as citizens. It bears mentioning that women, people of color, and young adults are the three fastest growing and increasingly powerful demographic groups in America. Year after year, the GOP has deliberately forfeited outreach to all three of these groups in order to appease their ever-shrinking political base; which mostly consists of elderly White men. Your own Republican strategists are confused and frustrated by the GOP’s lack of vision. It’s almost as if you’re trying to make your party obsolete.
If you live a good life on earth and make it into Heaven someday, exactly what is it that you expect to see there? Do you think that Republicans and Democrats are separated in Heaven? Do you think that Black people and White people are separated in Heaven? Do you think that people who were rich and people who were poor are separated in Heaven? You cannot possibly be that short-sighted.
Let me be clear. The unsaved cannot save anyone. In fact, they lack the ability to even save themselves. Grow up. The unrighteous cannot credibly lay claim to the mantle of righteousness. They no longer know the difference between what’s wrong and what’s right. Grow up. The ungodly cannot ever pretend that evil words, evil thoughts, and evil deeds can accomplish godly things. The ends don’t justify the means. The ends are just that – the end.
I’m not asking for perfection from Republicans. I want correction.
As I close, reflect upon the wisdom found in 1st Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” I call upon the Republicans to put away their childish things. Stop taking your ball and going home. I call upon them to put away their fearmongering tendencies. I call upon them to put away anger, selfishness, immorality, impurity, debauchery, blind ideology, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, and dissensions.
These things are not of God and therefore beneath His people. Again, I say unto my Republican brothers and sisters – grow up. Time is too short. The stakes are too high. You’ve done too many things your own way in too many places for too long. Let’s do things God’s way now. And if you won’t do what’s right for the self-preservation of the GOP, then do it for the emancipation of our great nation.
Staff Writer; Arthur L. Jones, III
This talented brother is a local Minister, weekly featured Democratic Op-Ed columnist, non-profit advisor, and sees the Braves winning it all this fall. Rev. Jones welcomes your comments! Please email him directly at: tcdppress@gmail.com.
