I hate politics, and lately, everything before us is political. The definition of “politics” is the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, especially the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power.
Probably the two words contained in that definition that make politics so unpalatable to me are those words conflict and power. That is what I see everywhere—in the media, on social media, in the reports about this virus-and-fear pandemic that are slanted to make us accept whatever the author wants to achieve. It is all about conflict. It is all about achieving power.
On further reflection, I think the main reason I find politics so distasteful is because it encourages us, nay, demands that we take our attention off the Only One who can fix our world, our nation, our own lives, and put that attention on a person, or a political view, or a political party.
I care not what side of the aisle we associate with, neither side (nor the middle) will solve the problems that we face as a nation. You cannot rule, nor legislate, nor enforce righteousness because unrighteous is resident within the heart and no political view can change the heart. There is Only One who can.
“Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith….” [Hebrews 12:1b-2a CSB]
As citizens of this nation, we have certain responsibilities, one of which is to vote, but let us never think that a political candidate (even a presidential one) is going to be the answer to our problems. Church, beloved, we must turn our attention back to Jesus. He is the Only One who can save us.