King Hezekiah and King Hazael

He who has ears, let him hear.

Election day draws near. Some Americans and Christians alike struggle to decide for which candidate they will cast their vote; an insider or an outsider; whether Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson or some other individual. There are, to be sure, many voters for whom none of the issues or events which emerge during the campaign bears any significance or meaning so as to affect their vote. Their resolve is an automatic, default vote for their party’s candidate regardless of what they might hear or learn.

Although Christians have the wealth of the wisdom of the scriptures they too often tend to caught up in the spirit of politics and whatever the mainstream media might peddle for them. There are two kings who come to mind from the history of Israel. One represents an insider; the other an outsider. Hezekiah was an insider. Hazael was an outsider.

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The Anointed Sinners, Moses and David

Moses and David were without question two of Israel’s most prominent theocratic leaders. There was no debate or vote for these men. They were selected and anointed by God. What might we possibly learn from two these sinners whom God selected and anointed? Might those lessons inform or expose our own political thought processes concerning the selection of our national leaders in America?

No one is perfect

There. The proverbial cat. It is out of the bag. The pithy header statement is the blithe default disclaimer of some individuals for themselves as well as for others. It is intended, both for their own flaws and the flaws and failures of others. The latter part of this holds especially true and is limited to one’s preferred not-perfect candidate, not the other candidate. The statement implies a sinlessness, or in worldly terms, being flaw-free. The truth is that neither the statement nor its implication is found among believers in Christ nor those who are of the world. Nevertheless it, like so much about politics, sounds good.

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