.Real.Greg.Lee.

Here’s some candid and totally random thoughts after the election this week.

• I believe to my toes that not only is God in control, but that he could have used either Barack Obama or John McCain as president.  I had a preference (which I’ll mention below), but my trust is always in God to change people’s lives, not government.
• Not everything Barack Obama does will be God’s will, but that doesn’t mean God won’t use him to bring about some things that are His will.  And, to clarify, not everything I do is God’s will either. (It’s whole other discussion, but believing everything that happens is “God’s will” is crazy thinking.)
• If it wasn’t ministry for me, I think I would have gone into either journalism or politics.  At one stage I dreamed of being President. 
• Instead, I decided to do something more influential.  🙂  Charles Spurgeon said “If God calls you to be a preacher don’t stoop to be a King.”
• I used to consider myself a Republican because I am a big believer in personal responsibility.  Now, I’d consider myself Independent becuase I think many Republicans have lost their way.  And, I think Democrats are at least raising the right questions (even when I often disagree with their answers). 
• I wrestle with lots of issues…and the role of government in solving those issues.  For example, I think we should do everythign we can to help the poor.  But by “we” I don’t think I mean the government.  I think I mean the church.  And by the church, I don’t think I mean the church budget, I think I mean people in the church.  See…it’s complicated.  (And it can lose practicality fast, which I hate.)
• I did vote for John McCain.  Why?  I sensed it to be the right choice.   My top issues:  (1) The ability to appoint Supreme Court Justices (this is about abortion, but even more so about how the Constitution is interpreted on many things, including the role of faith in public life) (2) An approach that calls for smaller government and the discipline to curtail out-of-control spending  (3) Character of John McCain and his experience with threats to our nation.
• To me, Barack Obama is all about potential.  I don’t say that negatively.  He is very smart and I think he has the potential to create new solutions to our problems…whether economic, international relations or anything else.  I think he ran the best campaign ever conceived and executed, which says something about his ability to lead.  And, he is inspirational…potentially that person who can bring some unity to our country.
• I will be a supporter of Barack Obama as my president.  I have already prayed for him and will keep doing so.  I will also be willing to appropriately challenge him on places I disagree with him. 
• It’s kind of a challenging place to be when you think about it:  I think he has great leadership potential…which means he could possibly be excellent at bringing about the very changes I might disagree with.  Hmmm…
• It should be interesting with Chicago as Obama’s home.  Our region will probably benefit with the Obama ties.  I just talked to a guy from our church who was at the rally in person Tuesday night (pictured above).
• Regardless of politics I’m happy our country has grown to place that an African-American can be elected as our leader.  Racism is sin.
• I loved watching some of the coverage with our 5 year old, Jack.  He wanted to know about red states and blue states and who I voted for and why.  It reminded me of one of my preaching values…trying to make complex things simple enough for the everyday person to understand.
• Jack said he wanted to be president some day.  I told him he could.  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

~ by Greg Lee on November 7, 2008.

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