Campaign Season - A Study from the Garden

There are less than sixty days to the election and I can hardly take it anymore. And I know I'm not alone. I think we're all tired of the campaign trail being blazed through the center of our living rooms day in and day out.

It's not that we don't want to be informed. I want to understand the candidate's positions just as much as the next guy.  What I'm tired of is the blame game and the finger pointing.  The candidates spend more time pointing the finger and complaining about their foe, than telling us what they will do if elected or re-elected President.  Whose fault is the economy today?  Bush's? The Republicans?  The Democrats?  Obama's?  I really don't know - I can hardly keep up with who I am supposed to blame today.

The candidates also don't have time to go into the specifics because they are too busy pointing out that the President miscounted how many words were in his sentence when he said, "Three proud words:  Made in the USA,"  or the fact that Paul Ryan ran a four-hour marathon, rather than a three-hour marathon when he was twenty.  Do either of these facts have anything to do with the future of America?

I heard today that both candidates were relieved that the final debate is a few weeks before the actual election - that way, if they have any gaffes, there is time for the hoopla to die down and they can still regroup.  Why is our system set up to nitpick the ridiculous to the point that it could cost an election?

Granted, we want honest politicians, if at all possible. So I am all about fact-checking.  But when a politician misspeaks, is it really front page news?  I wish that just one candidate would make the choice to rise above the name calling and the finger pointing, and just stick with his solutions to the issues that are plaguing our nation.

However, there is always a silver lining, per se.  You see, all this finger-pointing, all this blaming - it is a wonderful opportunity for believers to share the gospel.  We know where this blaming comes from - it's not surprising to us that during the very first act of rebellion toward God, blaming and finger-pointing made an appearance.

I can see it now - Adam, fidgeting in his itchy fig leaf, being called out by God (since he was the man and the God-appointed leader of his family).  God asked him what he had done and immediately one hand flew in the direction of Eve and the other was raised above his head, fingers pointing at the two nearest objects - "The woman, who You gave me, gave me the fruit and I ate it!"  It's not Adam's fault - it's Eve's and God's - can you see it?

If you don't believe that finger pointing and blaming is second nature to fallen humanity, test yourself. The next time someone criticizes you, what is your first response?  I'll bet it's to shift the blame - someone or something had an affect on you that caused this outcome...test yourself.

So when you're chatting with the check out gal at the grocery store, or talking over your lunch with a co-worker, and they tell you that they are sick and tired of all the blaming and finger pointing, just say to them, "Now you know how God must feel."  Then they'll ask you what you mean, and you can proceed into the origins of blaming and finger pointing.  Start in the garden and end up at the cross - it will be time well spent and who knows, maybe politics will produce something good after all...

Rant done for the day...