Nose Holders

(Proverbs 20:8 KJV)  A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

Although the words don’t appear here this is really an if/then statement.  We usually look at the total statement and come to the conclusion that the job of political leaders is to fight evil and reinforce good.  That is fine as far as it goes but there are some conditions in this that we should be thinking about as we approach the elections that are coming.  Keep in mind that there are always elections coming.  They may only be for school  board but there are elections on an almost constant basis.

If we do not figure the moral condition of candidates we are not doing our job.  I understand the problems.  We are not to judge.  Okay, so do you pick a blind person to drive your car home?  Do you ask someone who has problems with coordination to do your surgery?  We judge all the time.  The problem is not making judgments it is in making them in a self-righteous way.  Look at the requirements for elders if you don’t believe me.

When we get past that hurdle we come up with the reality that we usually only have the choices of degree of unrighteousness.  We live in a representative democracy.  God has put us here and given us not only the liberty but the responsibility.  That may change some day and we will adjust just as people have done through the ages but until that day we are called to pick leaders who embrace the least evil.  When kids would ask me how I could vote for Bob Dole I would tell them I didn’t need anything more than Bill Clinton to make me choose Dole.

So?  Grow up and realize that sometimes our choice is not between organic tofu and Twinkies.  Usually it is from what is on the shelf.  Pray for guidance, if necessary hold your nose, and make a choice.