Latest / The Gospel Briefing / Trump's 'Jihadist' Attack, Machado's Return, and False Witness
Transcript
- Eight days out. The Senate hangs by a thread. This is The Gospel Briefing. I'm Charles King. Yesterday in Port Huron, Michigan, President Trump escalated his rhetoric against Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. He called El-Sayed a "jihadist." He said El-Sayed was "on the side of the terrorists." He compared blocking him from the Senate floor to the passengers who fought the hijackers on United Flight ninety-three. El-Sayed, a former Detroit health official, would be the first Muslim senator in American history. He has denied any ties to extremist groups and called the attacks on his loyalty "shameful." The pushback is where this gets interesting. Bishara Bahbah, a founder of Arab Americans for Trump, the group that helped the president win Dearborn in twenty twenty-four, told the Associated Press the remarks were "out of line," "crossing a red line," and "racist." El-Sayed's record is not uncomplicated. He has faced real criticism for comments after a Detroit-area synagogue attack, comments he later apologized for. Michigan voters have a lot to weigh. But the category this story falls into is older than any campaign. Exodus twenty, verse sixteen. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." Not against your rival. Not against the candidate you fear. Your neighbor. And that command does not change based on who is speaking or who is being spoken about. If you want to sit with that commandment today, open Exodus twenty in Bible Copilot and read the whole list slowly. Our second development. María Corina Machado is home. The Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner returned to Venezuela yesterday after more than ten months in exile. Supporters filled the streets of Caracas. She leaned out of a sunroof, smiling, as the caravan rolled into the capital late Sunday night. Her return comes nine months after US forces removed Nicolás Maduro from power in January. Maduro is now jailed in New York facing drug, weapons, and torture charges. He has pleaded not guilty. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the moment the "best chance Venezuela has had in thirty years" for a real democracy. Transitions like this are fragile. Proverbs twenty-nine, verse two. "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan." Those streets in Caracas were full of people who have been groaning a long time. Pray for them. And pray for wisdom today before you repeat what you have heard. Our third development. At that same Michigan rally, rapper Nicki Minaj took the stage and told the president, "I will continue to support you forever and ever." A small moment. But part of a pattern worth noticing. The celebrity endorsement as political sacrament. Left and right both do this. We attach the weight of our hope to famous people on a stage. Psalm one hundred eighteen, verse eight. "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes." Or rappers. Or presidents. Your practice today: notice who you're tempted to put your hope in this week. Then move that hope back where it belongs. This episode is presented by Bible Copilot. Today's verse comes from Micah six, verse eight. Open Bible Copilot and start with the Verse of the Day. You'll walk through a guided study of the passage — what it says, what it means, what it reveals about God, and how to apply it this week. Start at mybiblecopilot dot com slash gospel. That's mybiblecopilot dot com slash gospel, or search Bible Copilot in the App Store. Micah six, verse eight. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly. Toward the candidate you support. Toward the one you don't. And toward the neighbor who votes differently than you. Thanks for listening to The Gospel Briefing. Eight days to the election. A lot of noise ahead. Your calling this week is clear, and it's quiet, and it's good. We'll see you tomorrow.