Do We Elect a President or a Pastor?

It seems America lives in a continual election cycle.  One presidential election is over and people are already talking about the next election.  

One of the comments I hear/read often when discussing presidential candidates is "We are not electing a pastor, we are electing a President." I could not agree more.  Thank God we are not electing a pastor with a nationwide election.  I don't know a pastor who would want to be president.  Dr. Jerry Falwell was very active in politics and was asked one day if he would run for president to which he responded, "Why would I want to step down to become president."  Amen...being a pastor is a higher calling than being president.

When comments are made about "not electing a pastor" the ones making the comment normally refer to persons who wish for the person elected to be a man (or woman) of character and integrity.  So they push back that we are not electing a pastor, so character and integrity do not matter in being a president as long as he can be an effective Commander-in-Chief or lead the nation to economic development. 

I would come across as naive if I believe every president has been a man of great character and integrity.  The longer I live I lose faith in the integrity of our higher elected officials with all the money flowing into their pockets, but that is a blog for another time.  Plus, I sense most elected officials are only interested in one or two things: being reelected and pushing the agenda of their party affiliation.  I'm afraid we don't have any true statesmen anymore.

I recently shared in a sermon we need Christians in politics to be salt and light.  But if a Christian is not standing for true, solid, Biblical Christian values, then they have lost their saltness and according to Luke 14: 34-35 is good for nothing. It is very difficult to be a Christian politician in the culture of America today. 

I regress.  Let me tell you why it is hard for me not to care about the integrity and character of the person I am voting for.  I am old enough to remember when evangelicals stood strongly against President Clinton for his lack of character while in the White House.  And I remember in 1999 when Republicans in the state of Alabama stood against the lottery when the Democrats were pushing for it.

So, it is hard for me to change.  Either we were wrong to criticize President Clinton or it is still wrong for a person who wants to be president to be an adulterer, liar, dishonest financial gain, and lacking in character.  And it was wrong for Alabama Republicans to stand against a lottery in 1999 since apparently, it is now a good thing. 

I just don't think I will make those changes.  The Old Testament gives evidence over and over again that corrupt leaders lead the nation in a corrupt way.  Proverbs 14:34 is still true, "Righteousness exalts a nation." 

So you ask, what if there is not a candidate who has moral character and integrity.  Then I would say it is a TRUE SIGN of the judgment of God on this nation giving us what we value and want.  As long as we keep voting for persons without true values, then we will get what we want.  And every Christian will have to give account to God for their vote or whether they vote at all.  I can never tell anyone how to vote or whether they even vote or not but be assured every person will be judged by their own decision.

We need the help and wisdom of God.

Blessings;

David