Two months from today, millions will stream to the polls and vote in another important General Election. (Unless they’ve already opted for early voting to beat the rush.) One of the most cherished rights of our democratic republic is being able to vote, to collectively choose who will be representing us at the various levels of government. The Presidential race will command the most attention, but many other important offices also will be at stake.
Conscientious voting can be challenging, choosing which candidates are most qualified. Alas, sometimes we look at the candidates and shrug our shoulders in resignation, concluding there’s not much to choose from. If only God would reveal which one’s the best.
Many factors can enter into voting decisions, two of them being the specific individuals seeking to be elected, and the policies they espouse. For many of us, character is an important criterion. We would like to be able to choose individuals of great integrity, unquestioned moral conviction and behavior, not tempted by greed and personal interests, and other admirable qualities.
Unfortunately, maybe because traditional and social media are so adept at beaming harsh lights on transgressions major and minor, it seems people possessing the traits listed above are harder and harder to find.
For this reason, rather than holding their noses while casting their ballots, some eligible voters will opt not to vote at all. That’s their choice. Voting is a right, not a requirement. But in reading the Scriptures, I’ve discovered that if we’re searching for leaders demonstrating sterling character and flawless perfection, it’s a very short list. A list of one: Jesus Christ.
Everyone else in the Bible, even those celebrated as heroes of the faith, possessed more warts than some toads. It’s amazing to consider the kinds of people God has used in the past to accomplish His purposes. A comprehensive list could fill a hefty book. So, we’ll just look at a handful of the misfits the Lord selected to lead and intervene on behalf of His chosen people.
Speaking of God’s chosen people, we’ll start with Jacob, who was later renamed Israel. He became the namesake for the ancient Israelites, their descendants being referred to as God’s “chosen people” to this day. This was despite the fact he was remarkably short on scruples.
His given name, Jacob, can be translated “to supplant or overreach,” which is exactly what he did in scheming to steal his brother Esau’s birthright. Then he compounded the deed, deceiving Isaac, his nearly blind father, to snatch the patriarch’s special blessing from Esau. Double whammy! You can find this account in Genesis 27-28. Nevertheless, God used him.
Then there was strong man Samson, one of history’s first superheroes. His story is recorded in Judges 13-16. We’re told, “…the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). On several occasions “…the Spirit of the Lord came upon him with power” (Judges 14:19) and Samson performed great feats of courage and strength.
Unfortunately, he had an eye for the ladies, including one seductress named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines bribed her to find out the source of Samson’s strength. After several attempts, he confided in her the promise God had made. As a result, the Philistines were able to subdue him, gouging out his eyes and throwing him into prison. But Samson had the last laugh so to speak, literally bringing the house down by toppling the central pillars of their pagan temple, killing everyone in it including himself.
King David was described by God as “a man with a heart after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). That sounds good, right? And yet, as we read starting in 1 Samuel 16 through the opening chapters of 1 Kings, he was an adulterer, a murderer, and the head of perhaps the most dysfunctional family in history. How could the Lord use a person like that?
The key was that when confronted by his sins, David was genuinely repentant, humbly acknowledging his wrongdoing without making excuses. God not only used him to reign over the Israelites but also to author many of the Psalms. In one of his penitential psalms, David wrote:
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51:10-12).
We could cite many others with major flaws and shortcomings, such as Moses, King Solomon, and the apostles Peter, Paul, James, John and Thomas. But the point is simple: If God chooses, He can and will use anyone and anything to accomplish His divine purposes. As Proverbs 16:4 states, “The Lord works out everything for His own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster” (Proverbs 16:4).
As election day nears, as we weigh both character and where candidates stand on important issues, we all will be hoping to see our favorites receive the most votes. However, our confidence should be anchored in God alone.
From the book of Proverbs, we have these assurances that ultimately, God is in control: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Proverbs 21:30). This should give us unwavering hope.
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