fame is vanity

Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who will no longer take advice. One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom. I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that youth who replaced the king; there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16; NRSVue

In the decades I have lived I have seen public officials who truly were public servants, invested fully in the work they had to do, concerned only about that, for the good of people, for the good of the nation, even for the good of the world. Contrast that to people who are seeking fame, to be remembered. Sadly those are the kind that often are remembered as infamous, not famous. Adolph Hitler comes to mind and there’s a host of others.

The best of leaders will all have an asterisk beside their name. All are flawed, humans with feet of clay. And there will always be legitimate questions about their work, leadership, what they did or did not do. Abraham Lincoln comes to mind. As great as he was, he was a person of his times. He may have done well with what he understood, and there may have been little if no escape given the nation as it was at the time, but one can’t help but wonder if some other path might have averted the Civil War in which over 600,000 died (“between 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers…along with an undetermined number of civilian casualties”).

How do we want to be remembered? What value is there in fame? What about the countless number of people loved and appreciated in their family and community for good reason, little if at all known outside of that circle?

God knows. God remembers. When it’s all said and done, let’s serve one another in love, grow in that. And have a heart of compassion with feet on the ground for the people around us in need, as well as those beyond us. In the end, that’s what counts. Fame itself is vanity. It is why one is remembered and what for.

 

the devil’s playground

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’ ”

Luke 4:5-8; NRSVue

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Lord Acton

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

Abraham Lincoln

It is a rare politician indeed who has never at least been tempted to think in terms of his or her own supposed best interest and grandeur and glory, yes power. At their best and what they’re supposed to be are “public servants,” for the good of the people. And I think we’ve seen real good come from such. But what I might call the politics of this world is in a danger zone or probably more accurate, is a danger zone. And what it becomes at least as often as not, and probably more often than not is the devil’s playground.

The devil tempted or tested Jesus along this line, one of the three temptations during Jesus’s testing in the wilderness. Jesus as we see above passes that test in flying colors calling for the worship and service of God alone. And maybe that’s getting to the heart of the problem. Ultimate power resides in God, and power given is given to humans to be in harmony with that power, the power for good. Humankind made in God’s image are supposed to be stewards of God’s creation, specifically the earth. And the two great commands are love of God with all of one’s being and doing, and love of neighbor as one loves themselves.

What does all of this mean for us today? I think it most certainly suggests that we should be aware and wary of politicians who seem to be power grabbing and enmeshed in having authority over others. That is why I think at least in the culture, albeit multi-culture in which we live, democracy is best. There should be limited power given to elected officials in more ways than one. And we have to watch out for those who want to rally the masses to their own vision, be it fascist or any other kind of totalitarian, authoritarian view. We have seen clearly and not that long ago how a minority of people can be passionately swept into such, and the inevitable disaster which follows.

Especially as an Anabaptist Christian, while I want to find good in any nation and government, I am wary. The United States where I live is supposed to be a representative government for all the people. I find many aspects of it both good and considering the history, troubling. I bow the knee to only one Lord, Jesus. But I also think we should use our earthly citizenship for good, for the good of people and the earth. But not to be taken in as if our identity is wrapped in a nation or some political party or mere human being. Never. Our identity if we’re followers of Christ is only in Christ and in God’s reign in him. All else is subject to that. Remember what is lurking and too often behind the scenes.

confidence in rulers, politicians, presidents, etc., or in God?

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

1 Samuel 10:24; NRSVue

I guess it never ceases to amaze me how excited people get over elections, especially presidential elections in the United States where I live. I’m not suggesting that elections of local, state and federal offices are not important, as well as issues voted on. Not at all, because I consider all of it quite important. On a certain level. And democratic processes. What I’m referring to is the status and high place certain people are accorded, and even the hope that they’re like the savior long awaited.

I’m amazed too that what I’ve seen over the years is nothing in comparison to what’s going on now, and that older people who ought to know better are falling for it. I don’t care what party or politician you’re talking about, every single one of them have feet of clay, limitations, indeed faults. It seems like you have to have a certain kind of charisma and populist appeal to be electable nowadays. Beware if you sound intellectual in the least. You have to play down to the constituents. Instead, one running for office should try to explain the hard things, be honest and real as to what can be expected, even why they’re there.

I doubt very much whether Abraham Lincoln or George Washington who are venerated by all Americans today could win an election now. At least it would be close. Both would understand the times and know what to do. But Washington was not a public speaker, probably not much charisma, and Lincoln would have an uphill climb given his total lack of the combative approach that is seemingly required of most any politician nowadays. I’ve seen exceptions, and I’m thinking now of a present day Republican, and I have to take my hat off to them.

As a Mennonite, back to my Anabaptist roots, while I should pray for them, I can’t fully support all they do, such as the President being Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. But I still make decisions in voting. But my point in this post is that it is foolish to put one’s hope in either a politician, a person, or a political party for that matter. We so easily cross the line of putting confidence in someone in a way that should only be reserved for God. Yes, we measure people’s character, ability and positions. But even the best of them are not saviors. Never.

In grade school I could repeat the U.S. presidents in order, and knew basic things about them. I was fascinated with that and American history in general. But the ones I consider the best now, and Lincoln and Washington would be the top two, neither of them were saviors. Washington’s humility and desire to not rule the people like some wanted was commendable, even while he tried to make slavery work, in the end giving up, and Lincoln accepting a most terrible war to save the union while freeing slaves, was not a savior, either. Though certainly both men were gifted in character and ability and filled an important role for their time.

What is dangerous today is the confidence professing Christians are putting in certain ones, who according to the flesh, just seem outstanding to them. What happened in Israel of old was like that. Saul seemed to be the epitome of the king they wanted to rule over them, handsome and head and shoulders taller than all the rest. No one like him in Israel. But it didn’t take long for Samuel to see through Saul. And Samuel knew all along that this enterprise was actually a departure from faith in God, and essentially or at least easily idolatrous. No different today at all, though so many professing Christians will beg to differ since they’re getting what they want.

Followers of Christ have actually only one Lord. America has some remarkable things about it, the first modern state democracy, and a lot of good in some of its ideals, though I would say unfulfilled in significant ways to this day. But to put such confidence in any nation or political party or politician for that matter is a complete mistake. Even the best of them are limited and a mixed bag. That’s not to say that they can’t do some important good. But it won’t take long if you dig a little to realize that they’re all flawed.

When are professing Christians going to put their full confidence only in Christ? Followers of Christ do that, and are open to needed correction when they don’t.