What kind of leaders are we looking for?

Some thoughts on truth, empathy, the book of Revelation, and the Vice Presidential debate

Y’all watch the Vice Presidential debate last night?

I drafted this post before I watched it. But it is all so, so connected. I’ll draw out some connections directly in a couple places, but I’d also love to know what other connections you see. Please share in the comments!

For context, we’re continuing with a series of reflections on faith, politics, and the biblical book of Revelation. (Previous posts here: I’m a woman who thinks about the Roman Empire all the time, God doesn’t anoint our political leaders, and We can do better than “rising above” politics.)

I was doing some research on the book of Psalms recently, and I was struck by one commentator’s question about the set of psalms known as “royal psalms”—the ones about the king. Why do these psalms seem to speak so highly of kingship and kings, whereas the rest of the Hebrew scriptures are ambivalent at best?

Is kingship in itself the problem, or is it the kind of king? / Photo by Deniz Yılmaz on Unsplash

One way of answering this question is to suggest that it’s not so much kingship in itself that God is against, but rather certain types of kings. The problem isn’t that the people wanted a king, but that they wanted a king like the kings of the other nations. 

I’m not sure I’m one hundred percent sold on this answer. But I do find it intriguing. And I agree wholeheartedly that, regardless of system of government, it matters what our leaders are like. 

Their character, their values, their personalities, their maturity levels—it all makes a difference. It makes a difference for all of us who live in the realm of their power. And it makes a difference, of course, for some of us more than others. 

I want to say a little more about this passage from the book of Revelation (1:4-8, my translation):

From John, to the seven churches in Asia. Grace to y’all. Peace, from the one who is and who was and who is coming―and from the seven spirits before his throne―and from Jesus Christ, the witness, the faithful one, the firstborn of the dead ones and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 

To the one who loves us and released us from our sins in his blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and father―to him, the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Let it be so.

Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even the ones who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will beat their breasts in grief over him. Yes, let it be so.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the lord God, “the one who is and who was and who is coming, the all-ruling one.”

I think that, at its best, the idea of Jesus’ all-ruling-ness, and his being ruler of the kings of the earth, can remind people of faith that all earthly rulers will be called to account. Even, or especially, the ones who seem to get away with literally anything.  

(The lies, spoken so fluidly and seamlessly from the stage last night! So many lies!)

It can remind politicians and other powerful people that there is a power above themselves―and above anyone else they might be trying to impress or appease―to whom they will be held accountable. 

And it can remind people stuck and suffering under the rule of these powerful people that there is one more powerful still―one who sees their suffering and will judge justly. Even if it takes a minute.

I think that when people of faith hold fast to this idea that Jesus, not any earthly ruler, is the all-ruling one, we find ourselves empowered to resist any laws, rulings, oppressive language, etc. that comes down to us from earthly authority figures but does not embody the love and justice central to Jesus’ character. We can say, with Peter and the apostles in Acts 5:29, we must obey God rather than people. Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth. 

The spirit of Jesus can empower us to protest unjust laws, to try to change things where we can, to make room for voices that have been marginalized, to speak up for justice, to seek accountability for the powerful.

God does not stand behind the actions of earthly rulers when these actions are empathy-less and cause so much needless suffering. God is not in agreement with these rulers just because they are powerful.

I appreciate that the idea of Jesus as all-ruling one gives us a picture not just of how much power Jesus has, but also of the kind of ruler Jesus is. Which is the kind of leader we want to see, we want to support, we want to vote for. 

Specifically, the biblical writer John describes Jesus as the witness, the faithful one, and the firstborn of the dead ones.

For John, Jesus is the witness―the one who sees everything, does not miss anything, and testifies truly about it all. The one who speaks the truth and does not try to twist or misrepresent or straight-up manufacture information to mislead others, gain support for himself, or push his own agenda. (Jesus does not gaslight and does not put up with those who do!)

Jesus is the faithful one―he’s trustworthy. He reflects God’s character well. He shows us what a loving, compassionate, merciful, justice-bringing God looks like. (Actual compassion. Actual empathy. Not concern feigned unconvincingly with one side of the face while the other side is busy devising policies that cut off compassion from those who need it most.)

Jesus is the firstborn of the dead ones―the idea of resurrection gives us hope. Much has been lost, but much can be reborn. As things fall apart, something new can take shape in the midst of the ashes. (And that “something new” will not be born by vilifying and dehumanizing and blaming and deporting immigrants. It is something new for all of us, not just a certain type of white American who imagines that they, more than anyone else, “deserve” to be here.)

Witness, faithful one, resurrection hope. It is not too much to expect earthly leaders to center their lives and leadership on these sorts of things: on truth, on loyalty (to the people), on compassion and hope. 

My hope is for people of faith to think―and keep thinking―about these sorts of things. To speak―and keep speaking―about these things.

A friend in her 90s recently shared that she hasn’t spoken out much about politics in the past, but she plans on speaking now, in this election season. She sees the stakes at play and doesn’t want to be silent anymore. 

I’m so amazed and inspired by her. It’s literally never too late.

The voices shouting out the way of empire―of domination, aggression, power-for-power’s sake, callousness, white supremacy, hatred against women, gnarly lies about immigrants―are loud. But people of faith who want to walk a different path are speaking, and will keep speaking. 

All the grace and courage in the world to you as you, in your own ways, speak to these things.