Sentry Journal
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattleand donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”In 2008, John and I had a somber conversation about the future of the Union after learning that McCain would be the GOP nominee. It was in that conversation that we agreed that it would probably be best if McCain lost, making Obama our next President. Surely one dose of such a leader would reveal to America the folly of their ways and expose the lie that is liberalism and collectivism…
One problem with the Presidency is that too much focus and power is given to one man. There is an urge within weak men that constantly yearns for a king, a monarch, or someone to be lifted into an exalted position of authority. Like Israel in the days of Samuel, there are those among us who wish to exalt our executive. There are some who wish for all of government to play that role, but in an expanded capacity. Whether it is one man or many, the longing for an authority be placed over them is present – they wish for slavery…if not for themselves, for their neighbors.
A typical liberal falls into this category. The answer to any present crisis is more government, more legislation, more rules, more prohibition, and more obstacles. Of course, rare is it that they wish these things upon themselves, but it is because they distrust their neighbor (big business, Wall Street, crazy conservatives, etc.) that they wish these things on the whole of society. There is some wild notion that it is better to strip citizens of power and entrust that power in the hands of an exalted few. To quote “Braveheart” for the 3rd or 4th time on this blog, “Slaves are made in such ways”
Now here we are in “kingmaker” mode again. We shamefully focus so much of our attention on the candidates who may hold one office, as if that person will turn this nation around from the damning course we are on. America isn’t a nation of an individual, but a nation of individuals. Just as Reagan’s famous quote asserted “Government isn’t the solution to the problem”, how much more true must it be that one person within that government isn’t the solution? An individual, within this government can no more fix the whole of our problems as they can destroy it. If our problems could be solved by one entity then anoint a KING!
Of course, it cannot. Our problems won’t be solved at the ballot box, but within the people. It is the guiding truth of this nation and of humankind. We, the people are broken and our nation’s government simply reflects that. We got a glimpse of this truth in 2010 when we won the House. What change has come? Where is our new hope? Even the liberals who longed for their hope and change saw that a savior cannot be found in a man full of promise(s). The Israelites, like so many others, were wrong…Kings do not go out before you and fight your battles – you fight theirs.
So here we are, still trying to make kings. Well then, as G-d told Samuel, “give them a king”. If four years of liberalism wasn’t enough (12 counting Bush), if $15 trillion in debt and continued uncontrolled spending of our money isn’t alarming, if war upon war in nations we barely know doesn’t bother us, if this standard trend of governmental failure and intrusion is acceptable then let us anoint these rulers over us and measure their worth. Let us put our hope in authority and our liability in an administration. But do not reflect inward, do not take into account your own actions or lack thereof, and never relinquish trust in those MEN who sit above you for they will be our redeemers!