\”Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in authority have been placed there by God. \”
Romans 13:1
Election Day 2020. It’s almost here. And, like much that has happened in this strange year, there is more division, negativity, misunderstanding, and outright animosity than in recent elections. Even within faith communities, it’s Republican versus Democrat, Conservative versus Liberal, I’m Right versus You’re Wrong. Everyone is adamant about his or her preferred candidates; minds are not being changed.
Jesus did not belong to a political party. If he had, it would have been the Love Party, because that was and always will be God’s basis for everything. It’s easy to forget that. One side says the world will end as we know it if the opposition is in power. The opposition believes the same thing of their adversary. One newscaster backs this, another that. Who is telling the truth? For whom should we vote? It’s a very important election. What to do, what to do?
It’s helpful to look at Scripture to get a handle on this election and the current crop of potential leaders. A leader is someone who influences the thoughts and actions of others, to achieve a specific outcome. Some are good, some not so much.
Bad leaders exclude God from their lives and pursue their own desires, even if others are harmed in the process. What signifies a “bad” leader according to Scripture?
Trusting in human resources rather than God. (Isaiah 31:1)
Being open to lies. (Proverbs 29:12)
They oppress others. (Proverbs 28:15-16)
They openly attack God and his people. (Revelation 13:6-7)
They make people groan. (Proverbs 29:2)
Conversely, a good leader’s first desire is to follow God humbly and derive values and strengths from the Lord. What does the Bible say about “good” leaders?
They are servants to all. (1 Kings 12:7)
They care about the poor and needy. (Psalm 72:12-14)
They rule with integrity and skill. (Psalm 78:72)
They rule with wisdom. (Proverbs 8:15-16
They use impeccable judgment. (Proverbs 16:10)
They bring stability by adhering to justice. (Proverbs 29:4)
They govern by loyalty and truth. (Proverbs 20:28)
They govern in righteousness. (Proverbs 16:12-13)
Add to this list honesty, standing against the wicked, searching to find the facts of a matter, preserving the rights of others by clear thinking, being surrounded by wise counselors, and delegating responsibilities to trusted others. It’s quite a list, all God-breathed.
Are these attributes attainable? The answer is a resounding yes…if the leader is seeking God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. The qualifier is that every earthly leader is a human being. Free will and sin are dragged into the equation, even in the best of us. If we are searching for perfect, then the only choice for president is Jesus 2020.
How do we elect Jesus as President of the United States? Trick question. This coming Tuesday, in the United States we will vote for a choice of two human beings. Both are imperfect, flawed, sometimes maddening, certainly anything but perfect. Even if our favorite candidate seems to say the right things, how do we know it’s the truth?
That’s where the good news comes in. Yes, we all need to research issues and those who are running for office. And we have to vote. But no matter who wins, it will be God’s choice. That’s not to say the winner will be a “good” leader. The Bible records many people in leadership who fell under the “bad” category:
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, listened to his peers’ advice instead of wise counsel. Israel split into two nations, Judah and Israel.
Queen Jezebel led her Israelite husband Ahab into the worship of Baal. She had the true prophets murdered and called for Elijah’s death.
King Herod the Great sought to kill newborn baby Jesus. In doing so, he ordered the execution of all male children two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
It’s almost impossible, from the perspective of the ages and from human understanding, to grasp why God would permit people like these to be in power. But he did. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Which means he still uses whomever he wills to accomplish his purposes. Because we now see through a glass darkly—have an imperfect vision of God’s reality. We don’t get it.
For first century believers, it had to be impossible to understand why God put Saul of Tarsus in a position of power. Many were imprisoned or killed at his behest. And yet at our point in history, believers can see that his conversion to follow Jesus changed the world—for the better.
Dick Eastman, in his book, The Hour that Changes the World, begins with this statement: “Prayer is the divine enigma—that marvelous mystery hidden behind the cloud of God’s omnipotence.” That phrase, ‘the cloud of God’s omnipotence,’ says it all. God has unlimited power and potential. It is partially hidden from us now. On earth, we can’t even hope to fully know what he knows. The clouds of his godliness keep much wisdom in the heaven above, where the Son shines. On earth, so much is obscured.
What we do know is that God has got this—whatever “this” may be. Including our nation, our upcoming election, and our wellbeing. If, to further his kingdom, he put Herod in place as King, forcing Mary, Joseph, and young Jesus to flee to Egypt even as many others were slaughtered, we can certainly trust him to handle our temporal concerns in the here and now.
As we approach the election, something becomes clear. Jesus is in the running for 2020 as he is for all time. We vote for him by praying for God’s perfect will. By being knowledgeable about Scriptural principles, and by trusting that he is able to do more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20).
Let’s resolve to come together, not as political rivals, but as the body of Christ. And to listen when God tells us: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
May God truly bless America.
