Who is the Best Candidate?
Who is worthy to hold office, to be president, prime minister or premier? Many aspire to the high office of leader of a nation & people but what are the characteristics we should expect a true leader to exhibit?
In this modern age of image and personality cults it is difficult to see through the smoke screen of spin and glamor surrounding those seeking high office. Watching the drama of an election race it is nearly impossible to get a true feel and sense of what the candidate is really like. How do they think? What values do they hold that would allow them to direct a nation in a world of powerful forces of darkness among other nations with evil intent.
Listening to a speech by any given candidate that was crafted and polished by a professional speech writer it is nearly impossible to determine what is in the heart of the person giving the speech. Who are they? What motivates them to lead? These are essential questions to know with assurity before our trust is given to any human. So what are the criteria that makes a leader trustworthy? Who really is up to the calling of leading a people?
Some key qualities to look for in anyone who aspires to lead are; moral integrity, character and righteousness. The history of America or for that matter any nation reveals that; yes it does matter what a person does in their private life, and no; it can not be divorced from the office which they hold. Examining these three characteristics of integrity, character and righteousness you might wonder what does that have to do with jobs and the economy? Why concern ourselves with intangible qualities, we need results. What a person is internally leads them to make choices that are founded on a path that will lead a nation to either prosperity, ruin or somewhere in between. There are no short cuts to sound and lasting success.
Take moral integrity for example. Morals are the rules any person uses to decide wright and wrong. Morals based on God's Ten Commandments never waiver or change or go out of style. Murder is and will always be wrong for any citizen to commit just as lying is not acceptable for a citizen or their leader. They are rules of life which will remain the same forever no matter what the state of the economy. Character on the other hand is knowing right from wrong and always choosing what is right, no matter what the enticement happens to be. Finally; righteousness is the history of our personal choices based on the morals we live by & our character. It is the path we follow in this life of temptations. True leaders possess all three characteristics. They will be the same in private as they are in public with no wavering.
Knowing this is there any leader who truly measures up such a high standard? History reveals that no human has ever handled power perfectly, even if they started in office with humility and character. Only one leader has mastered all three characteristics of leadership and his name is Jesus Christ. Fortunately Jesus isn't looking for a contribution, he is not running political ads, employing speech writers or hiring an image consultant to win our approval. He and his Father are patiently waiting for just the right moment when all of our efforts for self government collapse in a cataclysm which threatens the survival of all humanity. The crisis of leadership among humans will end with a government and a leader that is perfect. His position as king of kings will trump any other leader and his government; the Kingdom of God, will surpass the power and prestige of the collective might of every super power that has ever existed on earth.
