Campaign Promises…
01/30/22 One of the biggest factors in election results are the promises made on the campaign trail. Ironically the same promises are often used to gauge the success of a candidate, which usually ends up revealing that most of the promises made were more aspirations or suggestions.
In Sunday’s message, we saw the connection between political allegiance and idolatry. The idea of a politician or political system becoming an idol may have seemed like an overstatement at first, but when we really look at what it means to form idols in our lives, the connection is quite clear.
I think this can all be traced back to our desire to see promises fulfilled in our lives. At the very beginning we see Adam and Eve fall into sin because they found the promises of the serpent more believable and desirable than the promises of God. “Who would listen to an animal over their loving creator?”… well… I guess sometimes we find the promises so enticing and valuable to us that we ignore whether the one making the promises has pure intentions or is worthy of our worship.
This becomes very tempting in a world that becomes more and more individualized… after all… it’s all about “me” right?
God’s promises in scripture are beautiful, amazing, and perfect, but they are also focused on the eternal, and they are also given with the whole Body in mind, not the individual.
Unlike politicians, God doesn’t leverage our individual desires and fears when He makes His promises. He doesn’t have to convince us that His promises are what is best for creation, they are perfect because He is perfect.
Politicians know they aren’t God… at least I hope so… so they need to leverage their message to win your allegiance. They do this with promises of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When God’s will for our lives, to live within His promises, feels contrary to those political promises, that’s where the temptation begins to grow.
Hebrews 1:1-3 reveal Jesus as the full representation of God on earth. His words, His actions, and His resurrection all prove that He alone is worthy of worship, and only His promises are pure, holy, and lead to restoration.
Sure, these promises may not always satisfy our worldly desires, but should we choose our God based on our worldly desires? Just like a child wants their food pyramid to consist of cookies and candy, even our desires can betray us, and in turn betray our brothers and sisters, to the point where we lose our appetite for the promised blessings that come from God.
Sure… we can have political preferences. We can make assumptions on what’s best politically for the society. But… if we don’t hold onto God’s promises, and nurture God’s desire for Justice and restoration in our hearts, we might (like Adam and Eve) dethrone God (who promises eternal restoration) for a politician (who can only offer us something so temporary as an apple.)
Who’s promises are more trustworthy?
Who’s promises reflect and reveal the Kingdom of God?
Who’s promises promote unity instead of division?
The answer to these questions is the One worthy of our allegiance.
Politicians come and go… Jesus promises to remain on His thrown, building His Kingdom, through us, with us, and for us. May His Kingdom come