The politician and the REAL power

Jesus exemplified true humility as He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a lowly donkey. The Son of the living God, greeted by shouts and cheers and the acknowledgement of the crowd that He was “the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee”, knew how fickle was the acclamation that He was receiving.

He knew that soon the “Hosanna to the Son of David” would turn into ugly jeers and lust for the death of the One who had come to teach the will of the Father.

While no politician could ever claim to even approach the divine status of the Saviour, it would serve our current and aspiring leaders well to learn from Him and from His experiences as He carried out His earthly ministry.

The essential message that Christ preached was love for God and love for neighbour. It is easy to parrot these words but not at all easy to put them into practice.

Those who seek to lead should examine their motives for wanting to enter office at the highest national level. If there is not a genuine desire to serve the people, to alleviate the suffering that ineptitude, corruption and greed have heaped upon the heads of the citizens, then they have nothing of worth to offer.

As the world economy reels from the destructive power of widespread tariffs and the fate of nations is being decided by warring despots, our would-be leaders must have the vision and commitment that lead to peace and justice.

They must demonstrate that they possess the wisdom and perspicacity that brings about lasting solutions. If their vanity deludes them into thinking that they do not need divine strength and direction, they are doomed to fail.

The strength of a people lies in its sincere faith in God, through whom they can achieve true greatness—a greatness that attends to the physical, emotional and environmental needs of the people.

In this regard, one might say that many aspirants to political office are called but few have the strength and courage to openly acknowledge their need for the Almighty and to impress upon the electorate that therein lies the power to effect life-enhancing change.

We require our leaders to speak truth, even when it might be regarded as inconvenient truth. We need them to encourage in-depth analysis and decision-making that redounds to the benefit of all. We demand that they actively discourage character-assassination and the mud-slinging that thrives on lies and a tendency to bacchanal.

The self-aggrandisement that characterises many local and international leaders militates against national growth and global stability. It denies the dignity and worth of the individual and caters only to the selfishness and greed of the few. It does not allow for inclusivity, dialogue and solutions based on altruism and fair play.

Our office holders must recognise that with power and status comes the responsibility for the well-being of the people. It is also incumbent upon the people that they reject those who do not serve them with sincerity and justice.

Christ was mocked and derided by the very people who had acclaimed Him as He entered Jerusalem. His humility and obedience to the will of the Father led to His ignominious death.

Through His glorious Resurrection, however, He proved that sin and death had no power over Him. May we, the electorate and the politicians vying for power, remember that our salvation lies in Him and that it is only through His grace that we can access the power that brings hope, healing and the betterment of all humanity.