Politics

  Today is a big deal for my small little hometown, apparently. Bill Clinton has chosen to grace us with his presence. My mother is quite elated. But for me, there's no excitement. No thrill.

   The more and more I've been dwelling on the upcoming elections, the more I think I'm not going to vote. I know this has potential to be controversial, but since when has that scared me? I finished this amazing book, Jesus for President, and it really got my mind disoriented. We've been raised in a culture of the church that tells us to be a good citizen. To vote. And to vote Republican at that. But where is Jesus in all of that?

   I'm not a big fan of the "what would Jesus do?" question, but let's think about that for a moment, shall we. What WOULD Jesus do? Would he vote back in Rome? Or would he think that the establishment really didn't have much to do with God at all? By voting are we placing our loyalties and allegiances somewhere other then the Godhead?

   I've also been thinking a lot about my trip to Israel. One night, about twenty of us gathered around the table in the dining room for quite a period of time and talked government and the church. Andrew brought up an excellent point. The government has replaced the church. Instead of taking care of each other and taking care of the poor and the needy, the orphans and the widows, we in the US expect Uncle Sam to do it for us. But what if we spent less time worrying about the upcoming elections and instead spent all of that time being the Body of Christ? What if we didn't look for the government to provide, but instead looked to God?

   By voting in the election, we need to take the good with the bad. No candidate is perfect. But when I put my trust and faith in Christ we only get what is good and perfect, because he is good and perfect. 

   Does this mean that we shouldn't pray for whoever gets elected? By no means! We should pray for the leader. But we shouldn't put him in Christ's place as redeemer or savior. Think back to the book of Judges. God wasn't too keen on the whole having an appointed leader thing. He jealously yearns to be our One and Only. But alas, he gave the Israelites what they wanted. And here we are today. Once again focusing all of our energy and time into who will be our next leader for 4 years. 

   Something God has been stressing to me lately is how little we really trust him. Our faith is so weak. We speak of trusting God, but look to every source but him to meet our needs. We are more apt to blame God then to seek his will. 

   Give to Caesar what is Caesar's. But my allegiance doesn't lie with Caesar, or a President. It lies with God alone.