Christian Conservatives and American Politics: The Next Twenty Years

Here is CHARACTER POSITION NUMBER THREE: Abandon the idea that holding a position is most important.

One of my favorite old pastors once said, “If you have been called to be a missionary, do not stoop to be a king.” Now of course, serving a community or in government is a job unto itself, but I think if you’re a conservative Christian, we are obligated to have the same attitude. We have to ask ourselves, which comes first: our citizenship in heaven or our citizenship on earth?

This position dovetails with a policy area that has long been abandoned, that of term limits. We have to let go of what it is we think we need to be effective, instead of simply deciding to be involved in the public square. This includes holding the office, whether it be precinct chair or President.

There was a movie several years back called Presumed Innocent. In it, the corrupt and disheveled big city DA, late for a campaign event, wearily remarks, “When you first run, you’re trying to save the world; when you run again, you’re just trying to save the job.” I am afraid that a lot of Christians in various Party positions have this same mentality.

What makes the American system great is that by simply showing up to help, any citizen can have influence. I think everyone in this room knows what I mean. In many ways, that volunteer has more sway than the egotistical soul who can’t yield his position.