Many people feel overwhelmed, slumped, and disillusioned over politics. Maybe you sense an internal tangle of anxiety and anger about impending election results. Breaking news delivers latest polls plus fresh accusations and blatant lies. Threats of violence seem commonplace, including horrific assassination attempts. Sadly, we’ve grown numb to name-calling, belittling, and back-and-forth bickering.
Daily, I encounter shaking heads and emphatic declarations: “I am fed up. Enough is enough!” People say, “I’m just sick of the streaming vitriol on TV ads and postcards.” Caustic commentary from every channel delivers a cacophony of warring words and quarrelsome actions.
Weighed down by worry and fear, people are quick to say: “This feels unprecedented, perhaps the ugliest-ever presidential contest.” Some even declare, “I want to wash my hands of it. I am so done with the nonsense from all parties!” In God at Work, Gene Edward Veith Jr. asks:
Should Christians become involved in politics? How can Christians function in a non-Christian or even anti-Christian culture? Should we take it over? Or let it take over us? Or abandon it?” Many Christ-followers wonder, “Should I even engage in this season, amidst all the nasty fighting?
If everything feels heavy and you’re ready to quit, hold on a little longer. Don’t cut and run. Stick around long enough to ponder several healthier postures.
God’s Blessing & Call for Political Influence
Our Creator gave a blessed call to humans, made in his image. His opening instruction included the charge to govern and reign (Gen. 1:28 NLT). Such royal language—a divine call to be queens and kings over the earthly creation—is threaded throughout the entire sacred story. In a foundational way, divinely appointed politics are all about working with and for people, for greater human flourishing in our divinely created world.
After humanity’s fall and the curse of sin, God’s grand story includes solid examples of unique characters he appointed as governmental influencers. Consider Joseph, Daniel, and Esther. In Every Good Endeavor, Timothy Keller summarized:
All three people were believers in the God of Israel. Each was an official in a pluralistic, nonbelieving government and culture. None were prophets, priests, elders, or teachers. They had reached the highest circles of power in their secular cultural institutions. And God used them mightily.
Flawed but faith-filled, each of these leaders governed during pivotal seasons. In the face of great adversity, risk-taking, and political opposition, they each served in remarkable ways for advancing God’s redemptive plans in history.
Jesus’ Politics & Kingdom Stories
Mary’s Magnificat echoes lyrical reverberations of both spiritual transformation and societal revolution (Lk. 1:46-55 ESV). For his first-century contemporaries, Christ’s arrival as promised Messiah was poignantly political. Recall the grand disturbance to King Herod’s neurotic psyche and subsequent violent behavior (Mt. 2:1-18 ESV).
Across his teaching, miracle-working, and disciple-gathering, Jesus declared the good news and redemptive agenda of his kingdom (Mt. 5-7; Lk. 4:43 ESV). King Jesus’ work included political movers and shakers. Luke reported one fascinating example in the list of Jesus’ followers, “Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager . . .” (Lk. 8:3 ESV).
The Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation are chock-full of stories and teachings that highlight King Jesus and the vibrant influence of his followers in his kingdom (Ac. 1:3; Rev. 5:9-10 ESV). In Jesus and the Powers, N.T. Wright and Michael F. Bird assert:
The Church’s message and mission rest on the notion that God is King, God has appointed Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords, and the Church’s vocation is to build for the kingdom . . . The Church’s kingdom-vocation is not only what it says to the world but is also what the Church does within and for the sake of the world.
How’s Your Posture?
In Culture Making, Andy Crouch observes:
Our posture is our learned but unconscious default position, our natural stance . . . when we aren’t paying attention, the basic attitude we carry through life.
Instead of throwing up our hands, ducking and running from “worldly” politics, or bending low under the weight of loopy anxiety, let’s ponder and cultivate better postures:
Principle-based posture. Pursuing Jesus’ kingdom values, we can curate core guiding principles. Dive into the Gospels and discover a Jesus-centered, kingdom mindset. Then vote based on thoughtful, Christ-honoring principles. Choose candidates who are at the very least more principle-based. Ask questions like: who is stronger on telling more truth? Who is stronger about actually helping others? Who reflects more trustworthy character?
Prayer-saturated posture. In Jesus and the Powers, Wright and Bird urge us to trust providence (believing God is sovereign, even in election results), reflect divine purpose (remembering history culminates with God putting the world aright through Jesus), and pray for those who govern (1 Tim. 2:1-2 ESV).
Power used aright. In our day, power readily gets a bad rap. Those in power too often abuse it. Historically and biblically, power can be used for whole-hearted, others-oriented, God-glorifying purposes. For Christ’s kingdom work, power used aright is very good. Therefore, let’s elect leaders who will leverage power for common good that leads to human flourishing.
Be generously present to listen, learn, lead well, and love well. Rather than running, avoiding others, fomenting hate, or letting divisive postures dominate, we can let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and interactions.
Ponder this final thought. Every candidate, every president, every king or queen, every world ruler will somehow, someday let you down. Why? We all fall short. But think on this: that horrific disappointment can work something marvelous in you.
Let disillusionment with leaders always point you toward the one true King, the only one who can truly fill your heart, fuel your soul, grant forgiveness, and empower you with all the hope-filled resources you need, both now and forever!
