The Spiritual Solution to All Your Election Angst
It really began for me eight years ago, but it's a lesson I seem destined to relearn every four years.
As a journalist, covering politics is just part of the job. But the constant mudslinging, cover-ups, deceptions, and character assassinations really get to me. Of course, there are also legitimate concerns about the future and all the problems facing this country that I love.
During the vice presidential debate, Tim Kaine actually reminded me of just why politics is exactly the wrong solution to those problems.
In one of his many aggressive attempts to redirect his debate with Mike Pence, he interrupted to blast Donald Trump's heart, ironically quoting a Bible verse from Matthew, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
I thought, "Wow, what does that say about the heart that's connected to the mouth that interrupts someone over and over and over again?"
It also made me consider the broader condition in American politics, and boy do we have an abundance of garbage in our collective American political heart. There's clearly no need to sift through that heap of filth. We're all well aware of just how vitriolic and cynical things have become.
We all have a civic duty, even a biblical responsibility to be involved in our nation's election process. But all the frustration and anger is a clear signal that we're putting way too much hope in politics and politicians to solve our problems.
In fact, every crisis facing our nation actually mirrors an underlying spiritual crisis which has far greater consequence in the eternal scheme of things.
So here's what I've concluded:
America has a debt crisis, but it's not the one you're thinking. The solution - Jesus Christ paid a debt I could never pay. He's the only one who could pay the crushing debt of sin owed by us as individuals, and as a nation.
America has a national security problem, but it's not about terrorism. The solution - My future is eternally secure because I put my trust in the one who holds the whole world in His hands. God tells us to "fear not, for I am with you." ( )
America faces a battle over religious freedom, but it's not about gay marriage. The solution - "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom." ( ) God really does want us to be free, FROM religion. He never called us to religion, but to a relationship with the One who died that we might live.
America has an immigration problem, but it's not about who comes over our borders. The solution - We feel like aliens in this world because that's what we are, strangers in a strange land. God reminds us that heaven is our home, and our job is to go and make disciples, to love as many people into His family as possible before it's time to go home.
America has a constitutional crisis. But there is a deeper truth than even the U.S. Constitution that should guide us. The solution - We follow the Word of God, and I don't just mean the Bible.
This last point bears some further explanation. Conservatives put great emphasis on the Constitution as a profound document whose original intent must be followed. Liberals refer to it as a living document that can adapt and change as the world changes. And they're on to something spiritual there, because as Christians we actually do follow a living document, but He never changes.
We must base our lives, our society, our reason for being, on following the Living Word - Jesus. "In the beginning," before the founding of America, "was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." ( )
And just as Tea Partiers and constitutional conservatives look to our Founding Fathers for answers, we can find the most important answer of all in one of the earliest battle cries of the American Revolution: "No king but King Jesus."
Bottom line: The kings and kingdoms of this world will all one day bow before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
So let's stop putting our hope in the results of an election of flawed human candidates by an electorate comprised of flawed human voters.
Now, time for me to get back to work covering this very flawed election.
Oh, and don't forget to vote.
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