Like most of you, I am finding it extremely difficult to come up with some reasonable argument that I could use to convince myself to vote for one of these two presidential candidates. I keep on hearing how it is my obligation to swallow hard and make a choice, but it’s still against all I have been trying to align myself with these last few years – a Christ-like life. I am being told to forego that little voice in me that I struggle at times to hear, and make a choice. But, in this case, that little voice is screaming for me to run for the hills! Run and don’t look back!
So I pray for guidance and what I get is an image of Christ on trial. He stands before a rowdy crowd of Jewish citizens. (As we know, many in the crowd have already been coerced by Caiaphas, the corrupt high priest and patriarch of the Jewish religious establishment, so the trial is rigged.) Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, is trying to do the right thing and save this innocent man Jesus from a horrible death, a death meant for the true criminal in Pilate’s prison, Barabbas. Barabbas is a well-known criminal, a robber, accused of murder and rebellion against the Roman Empire. He is a long history of making trouble for sure, and someone who both the Romans and Jewish hierarchy want to make go away. So, when Pilate offers the crowd the choice of freeing either Jesus the innocent, or Barabbas the guilty, well, it’s pretty much a lock for Jesus in Pilate’s mind. But as I said, Caiaphas, ever ambitious, sees Jesus as the bigger threat to his power and the fix is in. The crowd chooses Barabbas and the rest is history. (Of course, God’s will is done because ironically it is by Caiaphas’s own doing that Christ is raised to the right hand of God and Christianity is born. God loves irony.)
Back to now…how does this help me come to a decision on this election? Well, this is my take. I am seeing Trump as Barabbas, a fairly well-known guy, in and out of trouble; pretty much you get what you see. He probably has some good intentions, is a good leader, and maybe uses some sleight of hand here and there to get it done. A bit of a loose cannon, but definitely an agent of change. And maybe with the right people around him, he’s someone that could be convinced to do the right thing, because looking good in the public’s eye is something that egomaniacs tend to enjoy. (I have to imagine that most rebels are egomaniacs.)
Well that leaves us with Mrs. Clinton. What role does she play? Jesus? Hardly. I’m thinking more like Caiaphas. A bit of a hypocrite, probably thinks she is doing the right thing, as long as it benefits her. Probably thinks she’s better than you or me. She’s a major leader of the established ruling class and lives to maintain the status quo. Looks good and talks good on the outside, but as we have learned is capable of crimes at least as nefarious as our man Barabbas, but with one difference. She just comes off as a little more premeditated, a little more pretentious, a little more phony. Whereas I see Mr. Trump as a little more goofy, a little more impetuous, if you know what I mean. I don’t know that the Donald planned on all those bankruptcies or marriages, probably not…just got a little ahead of himself.
So these are our choices. Again, this is my revelation; this is what I am seeing. It may be inaccurate or out of line to some of you, but it is the message I am getting. I’m just putting it out there like everyone else on the planet. If you like where we are as a nation and would like more of the same then the safe bet is Clinton. But if you want some change, are looking to take a chance and a bit of a risk that this rough around the edges goofy sort of man-boy brings to the table, than obviously Trump is your guy. Either way, my great comfort, as yours should be, is that God is still in control of everything that really matters. So when you do make your choice, don’t forget to pray for God’s will for our nation and the rest of the world. See you all on the other side!