Who Cares What Lies Ahead, When We Know Who’s in Control?

Worried about the outcome of the elections? Who cares what lies ahead, when we know Who’s in control?

And the Winner is…

“Who do you think won the election?” my students asked me on Wednesday morning.

“Good question,” I answered, “but it might take weeks to find out. And I’m not real worried about the outcome.”

“What!” they exclaimed. “Don’t you care who wins?”

“Sure, I care who wins,” I said. “but I’m not worried about the outcome.”

“Huh?”

“I know who I think would make the best leader, and I did my research and prayed a lot before I voted. Which means I don’t have to worry about the outcome.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“God is in control. He already won. How things play out on earth doesn’t surprise him. He didn’t promise that we’d have easy lives, but he did promise us peace (John 16:33). Therefore, we don’t have to stress about what lies ahead.”

Some of the kids nodded their heads in understanding. Others shook their heads in disbelief.

What Lies Ahead for Our Country?

Unfortunately, politics in our country has turned into a popularity contest backed by people with money who want the prestige of the office more than the responsibility to serve. They consult advertising agencies and policy groups to shape a message to trigger emotions in the voters.

And we, like sheep, go astray. Have you ever seen the 1997 movie Wag the Dog? Pardon the language in the clip. But the concept of the media manipulating a gullible population to distract us from the truth is one we all need to take heed of.

Someone will win the election. It’s up to us what happens next. Will we isolate ourselves more from those who think differently than we do? Or will we look ahead and find ways to understand other people’s perspectives? Will we cry foul, or wake up and realize the job of determining the outcome goes to a higher power?

If the election doesn’t go our way, will we despair and undermine democracy? Or will we take a moment to ask God what lesson he has for us to learn?

Jesus has some wise words for us from Luke 6:26

“There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests—look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.

The Message

I choose to remain true to love.