How long until the savior turns into the new satan?

Please don't see this as an attack, rather a musing.

I see so many headlines, message board posts, blogs, and bulletins that carry exclamations of relief, hope, change, and prosperity for the world's future with Obama at the helm. I have no problem with people's support of the President elect, but I wonder how long his ratings will stay up? How long will it be before this new "savior" becomes a target for cruel words, scathing reviews, personal insults, or heads shaking in frustration? It happens to every president we have had in the past, and it will happen to Obama too. Whether you are a conservative or liberal, right or left wing, Rep or Dem, elephant or donkey, you paint a permanent bulls eye on yourself when you assume leadership of this country. People like you one day and herald you as the change we have all been waiting for (like that isn't said every four years!) and the next day you are fodder for an angry public and rival politicians.

Don't treat Obama like he is Jesus. He won't save the world. I would say the same thing about McCain or Nader or Pat Robertson. These politicians are not the ultimate change we are looking for. We have to look to Christ for that. Pray for this nations' leaders, but don't worship them. I don't care if you have Obama stickers on your car or "Bush for Life" tattooed on your chest, my thoughts would be the same. Pray for righteous leadership. Pray for protection. Pray for divine wisdom. Pray for personal transformation and radical relationship with the Creator for all of our nations' leaders. If you place your hope in politics you will get burned (at least every four to eight years).

I believe Israel did that once. They told Samuel they were tired of trusting in God and they wanted someone they could see and touch. "Give us a king old man!" Sam cringed, God warned, but they persisted. Their loyalty was misplaced and they got burned. Don't make the same mistake. I don't hate Obama and I didn't unswervingly love McCain either. I respect them both. I will not demonize anyone. I pray the Obama will be an amazing leader that listens to the voice of God. I trust that God can speak and lead through anyone who listens, but it is God that will never fail me--not politicians.

David's words ring true here:

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call."

(Psalm 20:7-9)

Soul Story

Every soul has a story. For each person, whether loved or hated by surrounding society, there is a reason for how they live, love, hate, think, rebel, influence, speak, write, create, and dress the way they do. No person is void of a story. And no story is without meaning. There is meaning and worth and purpose to each life because God has imprinted us with a reflection of His image. We have inherent worth because of the majesty and glory of the Creator and because of the blood of His Son that was spilled for our sake. How often do we forget this as Christians when we look at those in this world without Christ? It is easy to see God’s reflection in a newborn infant or an innocent toddler, but do we think the same thing when we look at those who truly drive this culture: celebrities, musical megastars, porn stars, film directors, entertainment tycoons? It seems a little more difficult for most Christians to look at Marilyn Manson or Eminem and see a child of God… but it isn’t any less true. We would rather boycott and picket than pray for them. Yet Christ died for them like He died for all of humanity. And who is it that the hurting, angry, questioning youth of this generation flock to for solace? It is these cultural forces that we flinch away from as if they are not human. These are the movers and shakers of our world—not politicians, legislators, teachers, or clergy—whether we like it or not. Where they go our society follows. And fear of this reality is what causes us to draw a line in the sand, behind which we point our fingers, scream words of “repentance” and try to hope our way into a safer society for our children.

A major problem lies within this approach: there is no “them and us” when it comes to the love of God. There are no lost causes except in the minds of Christians caught up unknowingly in the trap of arrogance, fear, and lies. We recognize that these stars hold sway over society even more than politicians and we get scared. We see the evil, the deception, the darkness, the immorality and we feel cornered so we lash out. What would happen if we prayed for them? What if we looked through all the darkness and saw the injured, depressed, broken, and questioning child of God? What if we got into their stories and prayed with purpose for those who hold such sway over our youth, our pop culture, and ultimately our society as a whole. We need not lash out; we need to listen. We need to pray between the lines of what is being shown if we truly believe that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. We don’t do this out of arrogance, but out of genuine compassion and love. We do not patronize or look down our noses because we follow Christ. We must remember that we are all broken without the love and grace of Christ. We instead should look these stories, these people, these beloved creations of God in the eyes and pray with intensity and passion that God would move on their behalf.