Scully (to Skinner): "With all due respect, sir, I think you overestimate your
position in the chain of command." ("The Blessing Way", X-Files Season 3)
I have friends who think that the Democratic Party is a tool of the devil. They
are terribly disturbed that Barrack Obama has been elected and see him as a
strong candidate for the Antichrist. Many others see him in Messianic terms.
They are overjoyed that he has prevailed and see him as ushering in a bright
new era for the United States. My word to both groups --- get real. Obama is
neither Christ nor Antichrist.
This is a historic moment in American politics and because in so many ways
what happens in America affects the rest of us, it is also a historic moment
for the world. The hunger for change was so overwhelming that it carried a
black first term senator with a name like Barrack Hussein Obama into the
White House. Not quite walking on water but close. With minimal hyperbole,
Thomas Friedman calls the election of Barrack Obama as the moment the
American Civil war finally concluded. Those of us in Malaysia can only look on
with envy and wonder when we will ever move beyond the politics of race.
And Obama has made all the right promises. His rhetoric of hope has
galvanised a nation. If he can deliver on only a fraction of the things he
promised, America and the world will be a better place. I am hopeful but not
holding my breath. I have learned long ago, from life, and from the
Scriptures, that all human leaders have clay feet and are destined to
disappoint us.
1 and 2 Kings contain a record of the various kings that ruled Judah and
Israel. Some were better than others. None of them could come close to the
reign of King David. He was the benchmark of human leadership and he was
marked by spectacular failures. God can use human leaders to bring about
substantial change for good. I think of the Lincolns and the Churchills and
the Sun Yat-Suns and the enormous good they did in their life times. It is
very possible that Obama will be used by God to bring his nation to another
level in her development. But I will not be dismayed if he doesn't. I am not
cynical, just realistic. All human leaders are flawed.
Malaysians will remember the hopes that came with the election results of
March 8th 2008. There was so much hope that Anwar would quickly usher in
a new era in Malaysian politics. But he has not delivered on a number of key
promises. And there are signs that some components of the opposition
coalition are reverting to old ways of thinking. We need to be realistic as to
what we can expect from human leaders.
I am glad March 8th happened. In many ways Malaysia has changed for the
better. March 8 slowed down the march of racism and corruption that had
crippled the nation for so long. But I am not surprised that Anwar and the
coalition he leads could not deliver on all they had promised. Sooner or later
we all learn that we must not overestimate our capacity to influence history.
(Remember the promises that Abdullah Badawi made when he was running
for election?)
So those who think that Barrack Obama is the Antichrist shouldn't be too
worried. There is just so much he can do. And those who think that Obama is
the Messiah should lower their expectations a notch or two or ten. He was
not born in a manger. (And neither was he born on Krypton and sent to save
planet earth.)
All leaders running for public office must give some indication to how they
can deliver. Obama has come across as honest and realistic while giving his
vision of change. The level of euphoria greeting his election however, tells
me that deep in the human heart, there is hunger for a Messiah. In our
darkest moments we know we cannot save ourselves. But Christians should
never forget that our ultimate salvation will not come form politics.
That doesn't mean that Christians should withdraw from the political process.
As Jordan Hylden reminds us in a recent article:
[... Christians are called to act like Christians in the many places in the world
that are not the church --- in our jobs, schools, communities, and
governments. Involvement in secular institutions is no substitute for the
gospel, of course. But it would be a small gospel indeed that could have no
effect on the way they are run. As William Wilberforce showed, such
involvement can make a real difference in the word and can itself be a
witness to the gospel. ( "Aliens and Citizens," Christianity Today, November,
2008, 37).
I am delighted that many of my friends are actively involved in the political
process and see their involvement as an expression of their discipleship. I
am just concerned that we do not get so carried away with the euphoria of
the hour that we begin to equate our battles in the political sphere as the
only or the main way to bring about permanent change in society --- and get
unduly elated or unduly worried by the political fortunes of our chosen
candidates/parties.
Our ultimate hope is still in a God who is on His throne, a God who decides
which ruler rises and which ruler falls. While we work for kingdom values in
all spheres of life our ultimate hope is in the King Himself, a Messiah who
came and is coming again.
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands
(Luke 1:49-53 NLT)
By Soo-Inn Tan
position in the chain of command." ("The Blessing Way", X-Files Season 3)
I have friends who think that the Democratic Party is a tool of the devil. They
are terribly disturbed that Barrack Obama has been elected and see him as a
strong candidate for the Antichrist. Many others see him in Messianic terms.
They are overjoyed that he has prevailed and see him as ushering in a bright
new era for the United States. My word to both groups --- get real. Obama is
neither Christ nor Antichrist.
This is a historic moment in American politics and because in so many ways
what happens in America affects the rest of us, it is also a historic moment
for the world. The hunger for change was so overwhelming that it carried a
black first term senator with a name like Barrack Hussein Obama into the
White House. Not quite walking on water but close. With minimal hyperbole,
Thomas Friedman calls the election of Barrack Obama as the moment the
American Civil war finally concluded. Those of us in Malaysia can only look on
with envy and wonder when we will ever move beyond the politics of race.
And Obama has made all the right promises. His rhetoric of hope has
galvanised a nation. If he can deliver on only a fraction of the things he
promised, America and the world will be a better place. I am hopeful but not
holding my breath. I have learned long ago, from life, and from the
Scriptures, that all human leaders have clay feet and are destined to
disappoint us.
1 and 2 Kings contain a record of the various kings that ruled Judah and
Israel. Some were better than others. None of them could come close to the
reign of King David. He was the benchmark of human leadership and he was
marked by spectacular failures. God can use human leaders to bring about
substantial change for good. I think of the Lincolns and the Churchills and
the Sun Yat-Suns and the enormous good they did in their life times. It is
very possible that Obama will be used by God to bring his nation to another
level in her development. But I will not be dismayed if he doesn't. I am not
cynical, just realistic. All human leaders are flawed.
Malaysians will remember the hopes that came with the election results of
March 8th 2008. There was so much hope that Anwar would quickly usher in
a new era in Malaysian politics. But he has not delivered on a number of key
promises. And there are signs that some components of the opposition
coalition are reverting to old ways of thinking. We need to be realistic as to
what we can expect from human leaders.
I am glad March 8th happened. In many ways Malaysia has changed for the
better. March 8 slowed down the march of racism and corruption that had
crippled the nation for so long. But I am not surprised that Anwar and the
coalition he leads could not deliver on all they had promised. Sooner or later
we all learn that we must not overestimate our capacity to influence history.
(Remember the promises that Abdullah Badawi made when he was running
for election?)
So those who think that Barrack Obama is the Antichrist shouldn't be too
worried. There is just so much he can do. And those who think that Obama is
the Messiah should lower their expectations a notch or two or ten. He was
not born in a manger. (And neither was he born on Krypton and sent to save
planet earth.)
All leaders running for public office must give some indication to how they
can deliver. Obama has come across as honest and realistic while giving his
vision of change. The level of euphoria greeting his election however, tells
me that deep in the human heart, there is hunger for a Messiah. In our
darkest moments we know we cannot save ourselves. But Christians should
never forget that our ultimate salvation will not come form politics.
That doesn't mean that Christians should withdraw from the political process.
As Jordan Hylden reminds us in a recent article:
[... Christians are called to act like Christians in the many places in the world
that are not the church --- in our jobs, schools, communities, and
governments. Involvement in secular institutions is no substitute for the
gospel, of course. But it would be a small gospel indeed that could have no
effect on the way they are run. As William Wilberforce showed, such
involvement can make a real difference in the word and can itself be a
witness to the gospel. ( "Aliens and Citizens," Christianity Today, November,
2008, 37).
I am delighted that many of my friends are actively involved in the political
process and see their involvement as an expression of their discipleship. I
am just concerned that we do not get so carried away with the euphoria of
the hour that we begin to equate our battles in the political sphere as the
only or the main way to bring about permanent change in society --- and get
unduly elated or unduly worried by the political fortunes of our chosen
candidates/parties.
Our ultimate hope is still in a God who is on His throne, a God who decides
which ruler rises and which ruler falls. While we work for kingdom values in
all spheres of life our ultimate hope is in the King Himself, a Messiah who
came and is coming again.
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands
(Luke 1:49-53 NLT)
By Soo-Inn Tan
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