He prayed for what?

Living in another part of the world has vastly broadened my opinions, ideas, and thoughts about a lot of things. Sometimes I'm shocked at the things I view as important that are judged seemingly inconsequential to a vast majority of the world (like....punctuality). Other times the changes or different viewpoints seem like a welcome change.
But there are those times when something is said that totally jars me. Where I realize a part of "my world" that seems right, and noble, and just, and fair...is just, well... my opinion.
I had one of those moments in Ireland. It was odd. Really odd. It came at a moment when I least expected it. Right smack dab in the middle of a prayer service.
To be honest, it's something that has been swirling around in my head. Little exposures to it in Portugal intrigued me. But all of the sudden, in the middle of a old Irish man's prayer...it all came together.

God is not Republican. Nor is He a Capitalist.

I know, I know. I am a card carrying member of the Republican party. I have volunteered for multiple campaigns. And to the day he dies, I will love George Bush. (We can discuss this at a later time... let's stick to the topic at hand). So it bothered me when I heard this man pray.

I listened as he sincerely prayed for what sounded like (to my ears) a communist and socialistic movement to help aid his country. He begged the Lord to "spread the wealth around so that all could live in equality." And, if I'm being honest, it hurt my Republican, capitalism-loving ears.

But it bothered me.

Why do I equate my political viewpoints and philosophy about the fundamentals of economics with being Christian? Why do I think within a box... and view everyone outside my box as wrong?

There in my seat, in a small, Baptist church in Ireland...I realized:
God is listening to that man's prayer.
God does care for the concerns of all.
God hears the cries of Irish believers who are on the verge of losing their jobs and facing the realities of a devastated economy.
And my "American" philosophy of politics and economics is not the answer.
God is.