Amid the political morass that is today, there is an unspoken tension that looms. A contentious and divisive spirit hovers over our nation, even amongst those who profess Christ. These are what I refer to as B.A.D. days…days of Bitterness, Anger, and Division. Within the side of "Right," anyone who might even remotely suggest that our nominated candidate is not perfect may expect excoriation for having voiced their concerns. Such forced silence and feigned unity are unhealthy. It is equally very unhealthy to place any candidate under such a heavy weight of performance as if they were a savior. The fears of losing this election have caused many to unwittingly shift their eyes from Jesus, and the hope of the gospel, to this single campaign and this single candidate.
Sadly, many in the body of Christ today are being motivated by such a fear. They appear to see this next election as the linchpin to the future of the world, to the point that a move of God is virtually tied to a single candidate. And with this fear comes a very subtle deception bringing one of the biggest threats we face today. It is an almost pervasive, unspoken, moratorium on political dissent, or any statement viewed as potential criticism, no matter how truthful or constructive it may be. Such a moratorium on free speech is extremely dangerous. We must not ever cease to speak out boldly about what is right and what is wrong, or we run the risk of ceasing to be salt and light.
So too, we must stay engaged in the political process, even when it becomes clear that we and our views are not wanted. We must stay at peace, persuaded that the one directing our steps will never speak to us out of fear. He can’t for He is perfect Love, and perfect Love casts out ALL fear. We must speak the truth in love, never succumbing to personal character assassinations. Finally, we must not let anyone, the enemy, our friends, family, or even our brothers and sisters in Christ convince us that if we speak out about what is wrong, we could single-handedly destroy the future of the world. In truth, our only hope is to raise our voices with the heartfelt prayer that they will eventually be heard.
Admittedly, I have witnessed over the decades, and this not from the sidelines but as an elected member of the Republican National Committee and a member of the RNC Platform Committee, the repeated dismissal of Christian principles, while Christian votes are simultaneously taken for granted. I have encountered the repetitive taunting smirk of, “Watch us stab you in the back because where else are you going to go?” The proverbial can continues to get kicked down the road as we win battle after battle (i.e.- elections), meanwhile progressively losing the war (i.e. - the morality of our nation.) So, where does that leave us? Quite simply, all the more, we MUST continue to be the squeaky wheel.
I am sure some will say, “But if you point out any shortcomings Trump may have, then he may lose, and if we lose this election, it will be the end of the world!” To those I would say, every candidate throughout the centuries has used that same fear tactic. We must not let ourselves be silenced from speaking the truth out of fear. Jesus is Truth, and is Christ not bigger than any single election we face? Yes, we earnestly pray to be spared another 4 years of bondage from a godless administration. But, equally as important, we must remain free to express our concerns. After all, a world where voicing concerns is deemed unacceptable is a world of dictatorial tyranny that disregards our unalienable rights of both free exercise and free speech. Do we really want to voluntarily succumb to such a world out of fear? And, if we do, have we not already lost?
Finally, there is one prayer for President Trump that I have not heard nearly enough. We must pray that he will replace any overtly anti-Christian political advisors with those who will boldly give him sound advice, even when it is not what he may prefer to hear. I have seen many people so awe-struck with the power and popularity he wields that all they want is to be near him. When they are allowed to speak into his campaign, they simply flatter, rather than provide the godly input he needs. They perceive their proximity to him as a ticket to their advancement. Such people, hoping to ride his political coattails, are of no benefit to him.
While Trump is not a Pharaoh, King, or Emperor, the following metaphors are helpful reminders. He should seek people around him like those Joseph advised Pharoah to find. “Now, therefore, let Pharoah select a discerning and wise man.” He needs people who care enough to speak as candidly as Daniel did to Nebuchadnezzar, “So, my king, please accept my advice. I advise you to stop sinning and do what is right. Stop doing wicked things and be kind to poor people.” I am not saying that Trump needs to stop sinning, nor am I saying that he hasn’t been kind to the poor. What I am saying is that when any leader selects advisors whose ultimate goals are their own gains, such advisors will always agree or tickle ears, rather than speak the truth, which is why such advisors are worthless. We must pray that the people President Trump surrounds himself with will not be typical politicians. Members of an echo chamber lose both perspective and truth like those in the story of the Emperor’s Clothing. President Trump does not need advisors who fawn over him for their political gain. Rather, he needs those willing to earn his ire, if necessary, to protect him by letting him know when and if he has no clothes.
So, for those interested, here is my practical advice, for what it is worth. We must NOT cease to point out when things aren’t godly. If a candidate is making wrong choices and we expose those choices, we are not responsible for the outcome by having pointed out the error. Rather, the candidate who made the misstep is the one responsible. It is only by speaking out that we have any hope to assist such a candidate from continuing further down a wrong path. Also, we must not ever come under domination or the fear of reprisal for voicing our opinions. If we allow ourselves to be silenced from speaking the truth, then we have no hope of bringing accountability to the very candidates for whom we are praying.
Finally, we must never cease to pray for encounters with God as well as godly advisors for President Trump. After all, confident, competent leaders know they need faithful advisors with wisdom and integrity who are willing to go against the flow and risk their personal and political advancement to be faithful to the truth. Valuable advisors should direct the one they advise toward the one they worship, and these two must never be confused.
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