A message to Trump haters (and everyone else)

 

I have to say right off, I would have written this no matter who was inaugurated yesterday.  It would have applied equally well had the new president been named Clinton.  Because it’s not about the president.  No – it’s about us – the people who decide who will be president.

So, if you voted for Trump – it’s for you.
If you voted against Trump – it’s for you.
If you didn’t vote at all – it’s still for you.

Whether you hate Trump, love Trump, anything in between, or totally indifferent – This is for you.

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This is the absolute worst election campaign I can remember.  The previous one wasn’t good – but this was even worse.  Even with the thin-skinned campaigner in chief that just left office – this one was so much worse.  From both sides!  

Even for me, who is generally into watching Fox News – this was too much.  I haven’t watched them at all since the party conventions.  It’s all been just too much.  Like two badly behaved little children.  Running for president!  I bet if we had something like the height requirements for getting on rides at Disney and other theme parks – say, a minimum maturity level, neither one would have been allowed to run for office.  

But they did.  And one of them had to win.

It reminds me of something I’ve written about before.

Do we have the leader we deserve need or both?
and
Do we have the leader we deserve need or both? Revisited.

The thought goes back to the Old Testament, where it says that God rises up leaders over the people.  It comes at a time when the people have an evil leader.  (For more, see the articles above.)  
The thing is, the more correct interpretation is that God “allows” leaders to rise up over the people.  In that light, it’s not a question so much of God forcing leaders on us – but of God giving us what we want / need.  In the Old Testament days, it would have been what they needed, since people didn’t select the men who would attack, plunder and hold them captive.  Today though, in “civilized” countries like the United States, we do elect those who would attack, plunder and hold us captive – so it’s more a case of what we want.

Ironically, what we want is often what we need.  Things sometimes have to get so dark that we finally realize the reality of our situation – then we want something better.  (If you think things aren’t dark – check out some of the quotes from Trump’s inauguration speech.  Or either candidate’s campaign speeches.  Even if you don’t like what they said, unfortunately, too much of it is true.  This country is a mess.)

In the Old Testament days, God’s people would cry out to Him for relief.  Then He would “raise up” the leader the people needed.  This time, a different kind of leader.  For instance – King David.

But today, when we seem to be more and more “proud” of not being a Christian nation – who exactly are the people going to cry out to?

That’s something for all of us who claim to be Christians and who voted for one of these two characters to think about.
For the non-Christians who voted – just who do you think is going to “save” you?  In this life?  In the next life?

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For those who didn’t vote

– I’m reminded of a different time in history.  It was when Jesus was alive.  The Romans were the ruling power over the Jews.  The Romans were awful.  The worst rulers the world had ever seen up to that time.

And yet, Jesus told the Jews –

So – if you didn’t vote – consider that.  
If you’re not a Christian – you probably don’t even care what Jesus said.
But if you are – these words from Jesus should mean something to you.
Unlike the Jews of His time, you could have voted, but chose not to.  Why should His words to you be any different?

For those that voted – winner or loser

Jesus’ words above still apply.

Again – non-Christians probably don’t really care what He said.
But if you are Christian – again – His words really should mean something to you.

If you’re on the losing side of the election –

think about whether the president we now have is someone you “need”.  Obviously he’s not the one you wanted – so if you really believe what the Bible teaches – is there something about this election result that points to something you “need”?  Maybe for the country? Maybe just for you?  Maybe for your family?  Your church?  Anything at all?

If you’re on the winning side of the election –

yeah – you won.  But, what exactly did you win?  You got what you “wanted”.  However – is there also something God thinks you “need” from this election?  Maybe something to learn?  

For everyone

This whole election process was so messy – so childish – so downright nasty – it’s really hard to believe that either of the candidates is someone God would allow to rise up over us who would be in the vein of King David.  In other words – it seems like no matter who won, this was a case of what we “need” to learn about the darkness we’re in – rather than someone we asked for with the intention of them leading us to the light of God.

One final time – if you’re not a Christian – you probably either don’t care about what I just said – or you’re maybe even condemning me for having put forth those words.  But really, you’re not condemning me.  You’re condemning God.  Because the examples I use are from His Words – set down for us to learn from thousands of years ago.

If you’re a Christian – I think we have some serious soul-searching to do.  And it’s not just about the election.  It’s about whether or not we even care about the rest of the world.  Our country.  People we know.  Even our family.

Jesus also said –

^{Mt 28:16} Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I believe one of the things we “need” to learn is that we’re failing to do what Jesus commanded in the words above.  Had we been doing that better, there are other things that we wouldn’t so desperately “need” to learn.

Had we done a better job of reaching out to people with God’s Word – we may have had one – or maybe even both(?) – of the candidates who were ones that God “wanted” us to have, because we “wanted” that candidate, because we had reached out to God for relief and God had offered a leader who would have provided that relief.

Conclusion

But none of that seems to have happened.

Instead, I believe, we were in a position where – no matter who had been inaugurated – it would have been the person we “wanted”, but also a person God allowed to rise up to try to teach us a lesson that we “need” to learn.

That’s a pretty dark statement – I know.
Unfortunately, I believe it’s also way too true.

And that’s a really sad state of affairs for us as Christians.

I saw people at both conventions screaming out with joy for their candidates.
I saw people on election night screaming out with joy for Trump – and others crying for Clinton’s loss.
I saw people filled with joy for Trump’s inauguration – and others protesting that same event.

But I ask you – do we show that same emotion for God?

After you’ve answered –
will you also say that your answer shows a really sad state of affairs for us as Christians?