dirty hands vs. getting one's hands dirty

In politics-- as in other aspects of our world-- one's hands are going to get "dirty". Of course, less dirt is preferable to more-- and much less dirt is much more preferable. One decides such things as a matter of conscience and principles-- such as they are, rather than as we imagine them to be. And so Tim Kaine's pro-abortion Catholicism; and so Ted Cruz's Christian lack of charity; and so "liberals" who embrace a profoundly illiberal presidential candidate; and so "social conservatives" who French-kiss a crass lech; and so on. We all fool ourselves-- but this election has revealed many things, including that some of us fool ourselves a lot more than others.

One way in which we should all dirty our hands-- Christians especially-- is in ministering to others, in the hard work of glorious marriages, effective parenting, and a robust fulfillment of the Great Commission's call to making disciples who can make disciples. If you're not doing that, what's the point anyway?