Activists and Politicians

1 Peter 3:13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
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I think the hardest thing for anyone to do is hold fast to righteousness when the tide floods against us. I admire those idealistic souls, like Don Quixote, who pursue the highest good despite the world's claim that they are a bit impractical. I've been accused of that. There are politicians and then there are activists. This is not to say that all politicians are corrupt. Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes. His cousin John, on the other hand, sequestered himself to the desert like a monk. Which was more righteous - well Jesus of course! So what does activism do for you with regards to righteousness, or perhaps the better question is, is it possible to be an activist in a thousand different ways? Is it possible to live in a bureaucracy and remain an optimist? It is a tall order, but I think possible with the hope that God gives us.