It's Super Tuesday, and Americans are heading to the polls to vote. And this election seems more important than ever. The candidates are about as different as possible. The stakes are high for the Church, and let me explain why.
Let's all be honest with each other, our next president will be one of five people: Hillary Clinton, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump. All but Sanders identify as Christian, who identifies as Jewish by birth. Over America's 240 year history, we have never had a Jewish president, so that would be a particularly big event. All but Kennedy (who was Roman Catholic), identified as Protestant. What does that tell me? History says our next president will be one of the other four. But rest assured, they will all carry the Christian banner on the campaign trail for one reason: if you are Christian, they want your vote.
But they also want your vote if you are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Atheist, or Agnostic as well. They just want your vote. Now, I've never met any of these candidates, and even if I had, only God knows the condition of the human heart. I have no idea if they are genuine Christ-followers or what they are thinking when their head is on the pillow at night?
But all of this scares me. You see, when they say they are Christian, they become front line faces for our faith, and I'm not sure, based on what I've seen from all the candidates, that's entirely accurate. Now let's put it all out in the open here. None of us Christians are entirely accurate representations of what a disciple of Jesus is supposed to look like. But I'll bet you've got a grandma, uncle, friend, small group leader, pastor or niece whose walk with Jesus looks a lot closer than these candidates. I'll bet you know someone that you'd like to show your non-believing friends and say, "Hey, y'all, THIS is what a Christian looks like." Maybe that person is even you.
I hope you vote and vote your conscience, but for those of us that are believers, let us be careful not to parade these candidates around as representations of what a Christian is. I'm afraid it will fall terribly short of what a Christian is supposed to be. Full obedience obedience to the Heavenly Father usually doesn't get you elected -- it gets you crucified. Following Jesus doesn't mean picking up electoral votes, it means picking up your cross daily. Making decisions based on your discipleship usually doesn't win you a nationwide popularity contest, it wins you crowns in heaven.
Most importantly, believers must do two things in this season:
1. WE need to be the ones who display what genuine faith in Christ looks like. We need non-believers to see in Christian friends and acquaintances a true representation of discipleship. No candidate is going to usher in revival. Let's actually BE the Church in our communities.
2. We need to PRAY for all candidates. Pray for God to lead them, convict them, and to search their hearts. Pray for them to be faithful to God and serve ALL the people of the U.S. I believe you can do both with integrity.
Finally, if you're not a church person, I don't know where these candidates really stand on their faith in Christ. I've seen enough in debates to make me curl my nose and say, "Don't do/say that." They might very well be Christians and feel badly for some of those very things. But know this: just because they are upfront and on-stage, they don't represent the totality of what it means to be Christian. They are not our savior. Jesus is our Savior. Visit a local church in your area, and I promise you you'll meet some fine Christians. You'll meet people who will love you no matter what, who want what's best for you, who will cook a casserole for you and hug your neck when you need it. You'll meet people who will pray for you and cry with you. You'll meet people who care about you and your soul. You'll meet the real deal. They won't be perfect either, but they'll be authentic. That's the whole point. You'll meet broken people who know they are sinners but have put their faith in the grace of Jesus. People who believe Jesus died for their sins and forgave them. People who believe He did the same for you. And whatever path you choose, I hope you'll know that THAT'S a lot closer to what we believe it means to be Christian.
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