It was no secret that God’s people were looking for a Messiah who would overthrow the wicked Romans. They couldn’t wait to see their Savior liberate them, to watch Him be the bold and mighty political leader they were longing for. When Jesus arrived on the scene, few recognized Him, because He looked and sounded and acted nothing like the one they imagined was coming. Jesus made it clear that He was far more concerned with eternal things than governments and rulers, yet He also demonstrated again and again that everything, including politics, is under His divine rule.

In this election season, it seems that Christians on both ends of the political spectrum have forgotten these things about Jesus. We are still looking for a Jesus who is more interested in politics than in the condition of hearts or the state of souls. We want to declare Christ’s allegiance to a political party. We want to see Him triumphantly swoop in and prove us right in our political leanings. We think so much more about government policies than we think about the hurting people right in front of us, and we have grown absolutely obsessed with despising people we don’t even know.

Not only that, but we tend to panic at the thought of losing, as if our God will lose. As if voter fraud or wicked schemes or dishonest men and women in powerful positions could possibly derail the will of the King of Kings. Make no mistakes about this election: as He always does, God will choose the leader. And He won’t be doing it to please a particular cross-section of the church. He won’t be doing it to fulfill our desire for a political God. He will do it for the reason that He does all things: to accomplish His own purposes.

The real blessing in it all is that He lets us be a part of what He’s doing. Vote. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide. God will accomplish what He wants. But, to dear Christians on all the many sides of this thing: stop trying to turn Jesus into a political strategy. His kingdom is eternal, and it doesn’t rise or fall depending on who’s sitting on earthly thrones. We should be more concerned about our citizenship in that kingdom, but we’re too busy arguing with strangers on Facebook about fiscal policies. Jesus is so much better than a political leader. Why do we always want to make Him so small?

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” John 18:36