My high school teachers told me that I’d one day grow up and lose my belief in principles and ideals.
So, I grew up, and discovered that my teachers were lying. I haven’t lost belief in my principles, but I have lost all belief in the politicians who are supposed to uphold them. I didn’t drop my faith in conservatism, but I did drop all faith in conservatives.
I’ve heard politicians promise many things. In fact, I’ve heard politicians promise everything.
I’ve heard them promise to cut taxes for the poor. I’ve heard them promise to raise taxes for the rich. I’ve heard them promise to get tough on crime. I’ve heard them promise to relax their stance on crime. I’ve heard them promise peace. I’ve heard them promise war.
But in spite of all that, I’ve never heard them promise, “Come to me you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest,” or, “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”
It’s a strange thing to put our hope in government, precisely because it’s the same thing as putting hope in ourselves.
In a democracy, the politician is a compendium of the people. He’s supposed to be all of us rolled into a man.
We are, after all (if the elections are legit), the ones who voted the politician into power. To put our hope in him is to put our hope in our choices, and therefore, in ourselves.
But the singer who’s horrendously flat in every song she sings also believes in herself. The actor who’s as rigid as a piece of iron believes in himself. The author who cannot write believes in himself, and the orator who cannot project believes in himself.
On the other hand, the soldier under heavy fire doesn’t believe in himself. The woman falling from the sky in a hijacked plane doesn’t believe in herself. The old man on his deathbed doesn’t believe in himself, and neither does the swimmer who’s drowning in a lake.
“Well yes, but I can also give you examples of men who do believe in themselves and haven’t ruined their lives,” another might say. “So can I,” would be my reply. “And do you know where they are? Do you know where they’re going to be? 6 ft underground. Their hope in themselves won’t save them from death.”
But there is one man who can save me from death, and His name is Jesus Christ. That is, if we’re not to believe in men, who are we to believe in?
We can’t put our hope in kings. We have to put our hope in the King of Kings. We can’t put our faith in men of the world. We have to put our faith in the man who made the world.
I refuse to put my faith in politicians, because not only have they failed us ad infinitum, but no matter how just they are, they can’t save me from the prime enemy of mankind, death. They are subject to his chains, just like everyone else. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, isn’t subjected to death’s vice. He was raised from the dead on the third day, proving his supremacy over death. He defeated death, and offers that victory to us. His salvation is for everyone, and so is his sanctification. His testimony decrees it to be true. I hope you enjoyed! If you liked what you read, please consider sharing this article with all of your friends using the buttons below!