One Thing You Can Say About a Leader You Disagree with Right Now
When was the last time a leader caused you to say, “They did that well”?
Mark 7 says: 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
During campaigns, candidates cover a lot of ground to reach people. I’m amazed at the video I see of candidates walking the streets, knocking on doors, meeting people in coffee shops, five rallies a day, and they do this for months. After all of this, we still are willing to say that most politicians are out of touch with the lives of regular Americans.
Here are some reasons I think people say this:
(1) Once they’re elected, it becomes an office job
(2) People feel this stage of the campaign is all for show
(3) Precedent makes us naturally distrust politicians
In less time than a one-term president, Jesus still commands the greatest legacy of any person to walk this earth. He never stopped moving; He never stopped reaching people; He never stopped going to new places; He invested in a core group to solidify His message; He never stopped astonishing people; He never stopped caring.
Perhaps during this election cycle, we take a moment to affirm that our leaders can do some things well. Our leaders will never measure up to our Lord, but that’s ok; He’s Jesus for a reason. But, our leaders, from the local to the national, are not as incompetent as we want them to be. They have gifts just like we do. They have the need for a Savior and His redemption just like you and me. And they have put a lot of hard work in to their campaigns, even if we haven’t seen it or wanted to affirm it.
Leaders have a hard time measuring up to our standards, especially if they are on the other side of the aisle from us, just like God doesn’t measure up to the standards of so many people around us. I think it’s time to affirm their humanity and that they do have something to offer. We may not like some of their choices, but we need to understand that they haven’t arrived at any decision they make without careful consideration.
For our own spiritual growth, let’s take a moment and find a place or a time when a leader we don’t fully agree with did something well. It may not be as hard as you think. But here are a few reasons to do this:
(1) You will find that they are more willing to meet with people than you think
(2) You will find that they are more willing to listen to people than you think
(3) You will find that they are more gifted than you think
(4) You will find that they agonize over decisions more than you think
(5) You will find that they would prefer to stay out of the spotlight more than you think
(6) You will find that they are more grateful for a complement than you think
Yes, some leaders are not as humble as others. Yes, some leaders have made really bad choices. Yes, some leaders have done things to disqualify them from their jobs. But that doesn’t mean that they haven’t done anything worth giving thanks for.
We’re all a part of the human condition; let’s continue to remember that. Let’s affirm what those around us can and are doing well. Our leaders struggle with insecurity like we do, they struggle with family like we do, they wrestle with faith and how it plays out in the public arena like we do, and they want to do a good job like we do. Give them grace like Jesus gives to us. Amen.
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