By Tom Warner

Listening to a few minutes of the Huckabee Show on Sirius radio recently, I heard a discussion about why thousands of Christians in America don’t vote in the presidential election. Huckabee’s guest, Andy Andrews, said he thinks it’s because they don’t like either candidate so they don’t vote for anyone. He stated further that Christians have to remember that there is only one perfect person who ever lived. Huckabee quickly responded, “And he is not on the ballot.” Great point! 

Be Careful Who You Follow 

Andrews is the author of the book, How Do You Kill 11 Million People? (Thomas Nelson, 2012). The book is about the tragic mass murder of millions during the Holocaust and how it happened—by lying! The victims willingly followed a leader who told them they were going to places of safety and they believed him. When I read Isaiah 9:1-7, I get excited thinking about this leader: a righteous leader I can believe and trust, who has my best interests at heart (not his own), who is just and righteous, who upholds the truth, and who keeps his word. 

Following the Perfect Leader

 I wish someone like that were on the ballot—the presidential ballot, or any ballot. But of course, there is only one someone like that and he’s not on any ballot. My longing for such a leader, however, may not be too different from the longing of those in Israel who thought they had found such a one in Jesus. In fact they had, but oddly and shamefully they turned against him. John Samples, seniors minister at East 91^st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, recently spoke on the topic of “Wants and Needs,” suggesting that the fickle crowd, once lauding and praising Jesus, finally rejected him because he didn’t offer what they wanted—only what they needed. How many times have I rejected the only perfect leader because he didn’t offer what I wanted, but instead, only what I
needed?

Tom Warner serves as Senior Vice President and Relationship Manger with Church Development Fund. He and his wife Brenda live in Carmel, Indiana and have two married children (a son and a daughter) and three granddaughters.