They say that in certain professional realms, connections are everything.
It’s all about who you know.
If you know people of influence, the people at top, the people who have decision-making power or sway, you are more likely to succeed, to get that new job or that promotion, to receive that raise.
This is in part how privilege works in our country. Privilege often includes having those types of connections. Connections that promote upward movement, rather than staying as one is. Those in privilege are more likely to have these connections than people without privilege.
But, hitching your cart behind a person of influence, someone you hope will take you where you want to be, comes at a cost.
In 2016, many Evangelical Christians hitched their cart on Donald Trump: a man of influence and power and old money. A man who was heralded as our "champion", our "savior" even, who would "rescue" us from the evil Left and "make America great again".
Of course, Donald Trump is also a man of disreputable character. A man who epitomes the opposite of Christian morals and values. Who is well known and documented to have cheated on his multiple wives and on his taxes, to have paid for and encouraged abortions, to have questionable business practices, to belittle, bully and destroy anyone who disagrees with him, and who knows very little about law and ethics and government, and even less about the Bible.
An odd choice for Christians to back.
Even now, after inciting a riot that led to five deaths and over 140 injured police officers, after attempting to steal an election he did not win, after losing a sexual assault case, and while facing four separate indictments of serious charges - the majority of Evangelical Christians are still saying they would vote for him again in 2024.
As my kids would say, "What the fudge nuggets?"
People argue: his character doesn't matter, it's what he can do for us and our political agenda (why do Christians have a political agenda anyway??). It's not like he's a pastor who's called to high moral standards.
True, but... then why is his name brought up in churches? Why are Christians judged for not supporting him, even to the extent of being told they must "pray and repent", as I was? Why are Christians being pushed out of the church for not falling in line behind him?
The devotion to this man and the overlooking of his many sins is perplexing. It's cult-like. It has gravely damaged the country's view of Christians and our witness.
A 2020 poll found that a third of Americans believe the Evangelical support of Trump hurt our Christian witness. In another poll conducted in 2021, researchers found that 1 in 4 of Americans felt Evangelical support for Trump reduced their desire to attend church. Millennials in particular have been leaving the Evangelical church because of leadership's support for Trump.
Christians need to be careful to whom we hitch our cart.
We are God's representatives here on Earth. The things we do are watched under a microscope by an unbelieving world. Right or wrong, unbelievers look at us to determine who God is.
Hitching our wagon to someone who is the antithesis of the Christian morals and values we say we believe in has been confusing at best and hypocritical at worst.
Rev. Benjamin Cremer put it this way, "I don't think we Christians realize how fragile a picture we paint of Christianity when we act as though it is so dependent on certain people and parties being in power and entire nations abiding by our beliefs. That's not the gospel of Jesus."
Should Christians even be concerned about things like power and influence and upward movement in this world? Isn't that focusing on personal gain and privilege as opposed to focusing on the things Jesus told us to focus on - like building that which matters for eternity?
Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
We are not called to make Earthly kingdoms. Nor have we been promised Earthly kingdoms during this lifetime. God calls us to higher, more important, work. To bring His kingdom on Earth through love and justice work. To care for one another and share the Gospel and grow disciples.
If we are looking for a person of influence, the person at top, the person who has decision-making power or sway, do we not already have a connection to the greatest of all? Do we not through the nature of faith - true faith - already have an in with He who is the highest of most highs? He who created everything that ever was and ever will be? He who knows us inside and out? He who extends love and mercy and grace to us, even when we do not deserve it?
We need no other champion. We need no other savior. We need no Earthly person to hitch our carts to because we already know HIM.
His ways are not our ways. I don't believe He cares about "making America great again" - countries and borders and governments will rise and fall but He remains King over all. He cares more about individual hearts and souls. He cares about mercy and love and justice. The greatest commandment after all is to love Him and love others.
Never did He call us to create a "Christian nation" or to serve a flag.
We serve a higher calling. The only allegiance we should have and uphold and defend is our allegiance to God.
Only God.
Only Him.
He is all we need.
Perhaps when it comes down to it, Christianity is all about Who we know.
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