Barack Obama was elected President of the United States on November 4, 2008. Elected. Which means "to choose, to pick out, to select." He was selected by the majority of Americans. But more importantly, he was selected by God.
There are those who say that President Bush is the worst president ever. But, the truth is, he is the perfect president. Perfect for the eight years he will have spent as president. And Barack Obama will be the perfect president for the next four to eight years as well. They both must be. They were each appointed and selected by God. As was every president and other elected leader our nation and localities have ever had.
Here are some things that have annoyed me about my fellow believers, and myself as well, when it comes to having leadership that stands counter to what we believe. We as Christians should put our hope, faith and trust in higher things than the president. If we do, the many issues we have with the incoming president and any other would be null and void:
Abortion
If we do our job as Christians -- to make disciples of all and to love others as Christ loves us -- then that alone would reduce if not nullify the abortion rate in this country. People don't get abortions because they're legal. They get abortions because they have not been introduced to the love of God; to the fact that his laws regarding sexual conduct are there to protect us and help us more enjoy our life. If people had a better understanding of Scripture they would know that human life is sacred -- born, and unborn. We ought not depend on government to pick up the slack where we have let our responsibilities slide. We need to become more "pro-life" and less "anti-abortion."
Welfare
If we do our job as Christians, the state would not have any opportunity to care for the poor. Jesus was very specific in his calling for us to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, care for the infirm, rehabilitate prisoners, etc. -- because we may be doing it to Christ himself. Who held this responsibility before the New Deal and Great Society programs? The church and the community. The church should be putting the state out of this business.
National Security
Radical Islam is one of the greatest threats to this nation. And Islam is the most rapidly growing religion in the world. Why is this the case? Why is it not Christianity? Granted, we don't threaten people to convert as they sometimes do. But one reason Hamas, for example, is popular in Lebanon is because they work to meet the needs of the community in which they are present. Their motives are questionable. But the people WANT Hamas there, in large part. Hamas is their welfare. Christianity presents an indispensable benefit to every community in which it has a presence. In military terms, the only way one army can occupy the territory of another, without combat, is for the other party to give up -- to surrender.
I could go on and on. Prayer in schools -- it wouldn't be necessary if there were more prayer in homes and more godly parents. Sex education in schools -- same thing. If more parents took their responsibilities more seriously then the schools wouldn't have to. And even the economy is not exempt from this. If we as Christians worked to meet the needs of our neighbors -- which is everyone we are in contact with -- would we have as much of a housing crisis? If we practiced the frugality and the principle of tithing that the Bible teaches, would we have a housing crisis? Debt? Credit issues?
The bottom line, and what I've been being convicted of lately, is this:
If we as Christians did our job to the fullest extent of what Christ intended, we would not have the issues we have. There is certainly a role for government, but if we did our job, it wouldn't be a fraction of the size it is today.
The Bible is clear. Our faith, our hope, our trust, our peace, our strength -- is in Christ alone. Not the government. Not a leader. Not a political party. In Christ and Christ alone.
Presdient-elect Obama said, describing the current economic situation, that we have dug ourselves into a deep hole. Well, we as Christians have dug ourselves into another deep hole. But it's never too late to start living the life that God intended his people to live.
Perhaps this is the real calling for Barack Obama. To show God's people that we have lost our way and that if we fulfill our Biblical calling we can show the world that Jesus is the greatest Hope and the greatest source of positive Change possible.
