Have you noticed we’re now inside two months until this federal election cycle is finally over?  It seems like this thing has been going on and on forever.  Choosing our national leaders is very important, but there’s going to have to be some restrictions placed on when someone can start running for office.  Otherwise, we’ll inaugurate a new President one day and start seeing political ads by hopeful candidates the next.

No doubt, running for any public office is difficult, but the cycle winding down right now has been one of the most grueling in history.  The fallout isn’t limited to the also-rans.  The gospel has been the big loser!

Think with me for a moment.  Whatever captivates ones imagination secures ones emotional energy.  When that emotional energy is politically wired to a protracted campaign, such as this one with so-called “history” on the line, it leaves little energy for an even deeper and more important discussion – eternity.  People can only take so much “heavy hitting talk.”  Once they have expended their intellectual and emotional energies, they aren’t interested in talking for awhile.  In fact, they often don’t have enough reserves to even privately ponder another deep subject.  Thus, the gospel gets relegated to the back burner, whose energy has been shut down for replenishment.

While the policies of particular candidates are bantered back and forth, bisected and disected into oblivion, one thing remains the same - regardless of their sincerity, little will change in Washington, D.C.  There is such a huge political machine protecting the status quo in place, it would take a dictator with greater powers than Hitler to effect the change necessary to make a massive difference in the way things are done.  Yet, cycle after cycle, there’s just enough visible change taking place that we, as good Americans, continue to cling to our hope for a better future via another election.

Although there are a few shifts here and there, if you’ve been around long enough, you’ve seen election cycles come and go; you’ve seen one new President after another – some more effective than others, and all with their good and bad sides.  However, the United States government remained in tact throughout each one’s administration.  As sure as night follows day, there was another election cycle lurking just around the corner with a list of hopefuls wishing to put their stamp on history and promising to change everything for everybody.

Sadly, all the while, people were being born, living, winning, losing, and dying throughout each cycle.  Solomon told us it would be that way when he said: “There’s nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) 

But here’s the toughest part.  While the world played the fiddle for politics, millions of real people – some well-known and some obscure; some with important accomplishments to their credit and some with nothing more to show for their time on earth other their birth and death certificates – went into eternity.

Discussions about eternity are not in vogue right now; at least, not discussions about the Biblical view of it.  If you’re into the spiritual version of “I’m Okay; You’re Okay,” then it’s not such a disdained discussion.  Talk about it from the exclusive point of view of its rightful owner, however, and you’ll likely see people move away from you as quickly as one would from someone who just encountered a scared skunk.

I’m not arguing that we, as Christians, bury our heads in the sand, completely ignoring the great debates and political tug-a-wars that can effect our nation so powerfully.  I am contending that we not allow ourselves to be suckered into placing political conquests above the priorities of spiritual transformations. No one, not one single person, went to heaven because he or she held the right governmental view on some issue.  Not one was ever allowed through the gate of pearl because he or she was an active member of a particular political party.  And, not one was judged by the God of all creation solely upon their voting record.  Eternal salvation isn’t politically based.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is still the one and only way God has set forth to redeem humanity.  “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12)

I’m praying that when this election cycle concludes, the church will get back to making the proclamation of the gospel it’s number one concern once again.  We’ve spent enough time (and money) on candidates who have no real power to change lives.  It’s time we got back to the business of lifting up the name of Jesus so the world can see the its real Savior!

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”  (John 12:32)