I can’t think of an election cycle in recent memory that started with more promise and ended with more disappointment than 2016. We started with sixteen incredible candidates and one awful candidate, and yet somehow ended up nominating the one awful candidate.
There are so many lessons to be learned from this election cycle, and so many things that need to change. But I would argue that one of the main reasons we’re in this mess is that we have placed our faith and trust in politicians. Millions of Americans are supporting Donald Trump because they believe in him and what he has promised to do. They see Trump as someone who can solve all of their problems and make everything great again. They have placed so much trust in Trump that they believe he can do nothing wrong. But many Rubio and Cruz supporters, to a lesser degree, have done the same.
Fam, can we take a minute? Just stop mentally defending yourself and hear me out. I’m writing this as someone who has had to learn this lesson the hard way. Your candidate is not perfect, and neither is mine. Last time I checked, there is only one perfect sinless Man – and He’s not running for President.
Rubio supporters: I know Marco is an awesome guy. He’s a brilliant defender of conservative principles, and he has done much to advance those principles already.
But he’s not Jesus. In fact, he’s not even divine. Marco Rubio is a human being, just like me and you. And as we all know, human beings make mistakes.
Yesterday, Rubio made one of those mistakes. He went on CNN with Jake Tapper and announced that he would support Donald Trump and would even speak at the RNC Convention if Trump asked him to do so. That’s a complete reversal from just a few months ago, when he tweeted out that he was “#NeverTrump,” and said he would “get in his pickup truck and drive around the country” to stop Donald Trump from getting the nomination. We call that a flip-flop. He chose to do the politically expedient thing instead of the right thing.
BUT HE’S THE SECOND COMING OF RONALD REAGAN!
BUT HE’S A-MAH-ZING!
BUT RUBAEO!
Marco is a great guy. I was proud to vote for him, and I will probably vote for him again if he chooses to run in 2020. I admire him a lot. But we need to stop treating him like he can do no wrong.
I’m fairly certain Marco would agree with me. When TIME Magazine called him “The Republican Savior,” Marco tweeted back “There is only one Savior, and it’s not me. It’s Jesus Christ.”
Cruz supporters: Your candidate is not Jesus either. I know he’s the only Principled Conservative™ and has stood shoulder to shoulder with Jeff Sessions against the Washington Cartel™. That’s great. But he’s still a human, and he makes mistakes. Calling Donald Trump terrific was one of them.
Trump supporters – your candidate is definitely not Jesus. In fact, he’s probably the least like Jesus of anyone running. Don’t even get me started on this. And if you disagree, I would suggest you read your Bibles – and not just Two Corinthians. If you still want to send me hate mail over this, email me at youdidntreadyourbiblenoughyet@gmail.com.
This election is not the first time a nation has placed their faith and trust in one man. Thousands of years ago, the Israelites decided that they needed a king to Make Israel Great Again. Instead of trusting God to lead them, they begged for a king. That didn’t work out well. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t learn their lesson. It would seem that we didn’t learn anything from that either. When we don’t learn from history, we’re doomed to repeat it.
If we take anything away from 2016, it should be this: trust Jesus, not politicians.
Proverbs 14:34 says that “righteousness exalts a nation.” Not “Republican leaders exalt a nation.” Not “Marco Rubio exalts a nation.” Righteousness.
If we place our faith and hope in any politician or political party, we’re always going to be disappointed. Donald Trump cannot make America great again. Neither can Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio, for that matter. They’re all human, and they all make mistakes. They’re all going to fail and disappoint you.
But Jesus never fails. Unlike politicians, Jesus keeps His promises. He’ll never let you down or disappoint you. As the Psalmist wrote, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalms 118:8-9)
Proverbs 21:1 tells us that “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” And Romans 13:1 reminds us that “There is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.” God is in control, and He’s still on his throne. Trust Him for the future of this nation. He will never fail.
