“You know me Matt, I go to Church on Sunday, but I think Ted Cruz is way to Jesus-y for America today.”
That’s what someone told me yesterday. They said this as a way of explaining that they weren’t supporting Ted Cruz and were actually supporting Trump because they didn’t think Cruz could win. You see, they weren’t saying that they minded Cruz wearing his religion on his sleeve, it’s just that they thought other people would.
Look, I understand. Whenever Cruz is talking and he goes on for anything over eight seconds about his faith, I start wondering if he’s losing people. I do. Don’t go full Tebow, you know. But it seems to me that my neighbor’s view if sort of a self fulfilling prophecy.
But here’s the thing, we’re not called to be political prognosticators. We’re called to be Christians and that should inform everything we do, including electing leaders. We have to stop worrying that this candidate is talking too much about his faith because others might not appreciate it.
Because that’s how we end up being comfortable with candidates who only give drive-by references to their faith like it’s a box they have to check now and again. Like Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.
In these times when the persecution of Christianity is increasing and religious liberty is all but disappearing, having candidates willing to get all Jesus-y are in short supply. We should applaud them, not cringe at the mention of Christ.
