A LEADER WE DON'T DESERVE

Where and how the conclusion got into my thinking, I don't know; but, at some point it seemed evident to me that in a form of government where our leaders are democratically elected, we end up with the leaders we truly deserve. To be sure there are some exceptions to that rule-exceptions that usually are the result of awakenings among God's people to pray for their nation. Yet, generally, democratically electing our leaders, we get the ones that we deserve; we get the ones that reflect the majority. The leaders, thus chosen, reveal where the people who elected them are. In our system, people choose leaders they feel reflect their values, and, often, leaders they think will give them what they want. Surrendering to Christ, we receive a leader we don't deserve. We don't deserve such a Savior, Deliverer, Friend, Lord, King, God. He doesn't reflect who we are but what we can be. He doesn't give us what we want, but what we need. Often, we Americans elect leaders thinking only of the short term effects of their leadership on our lives. We choose leaders who, we feel, will bring about the short term changes that will positively affect us. Few look to the future and vote for a leader they feel will be good for the future, for their children and grandchildren. When we surrender to Christ, we understand that we have a leader who is good for the future, not just ours but our children's and grandchildren's, and, yet, He is good for us right now. Following Jesus, we truly have a Leader we don't deserve.