2010 elections: Quo vadis Philippines?

          After the holy week, things changed so abruptly. The atmosphere has been filled with tension for weeks now. People have started hating each other, arguing against each other over things, which aren’t so necessary. Gifts have started to overflow- in cash or in kind. The media has become so busy these days that simple happenings are given so little attention. You could also infer that not enough people are taking their own pauses now. Church attendance has significantly decreased but at special times skyrocketed in some places especially when there is someone special coming.  You see, a great cloud of doubt and tension has already predominated the country. This happens every year, when the future of the nation is, as I quote, ‘at stake’.

     It has been a crazy season. The elections are killing the people. It is frustrating that politicians are so confident in what they do- luring the people into thinking that they are the solution to all the problems in the country. But is this right in the first place? Can someone tell me how making promises do right? And can someone show me how God encourages these things, Himself? What’s more frustrating are the actual scenes projected in TV screens and in the web, which gets worse every year. It’s funny in a disappointing manner how politicians subscribe to political bickering and enjoy the filth of mudslinging. These people are educated and they know what are at stake- their moral integrity, their integrity as leaders and most of all the integrity of the nation. How can they endure the humiliation of exposing the heinous crimes of their constituents only to gain more votes? And how can others sleep at night when other families are mourning? I was told that the highest leaders in our province have decided to switch endorsements and jump out of their party list at the last minute. It is alleged that they did this because of the surveys. Obviously, they want to go with that someone who they think has the biggest chance of winning. The hurtful thing is, everybody knows that the underlying reason is more of the assurance of office and of course, money.

      The citizens are not that stupid. They’re just deceived. More than arguing over coffee, who should sit in the office, the people must take a pause amidst this great political havoc. And as people who know the promises of the LORD and what He tells about government, should we not act the way we should? In Matthew 5:13 it tells us of our identity,

 

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

     By salt it means we have value. We are the agents of preservation and cleansing. When the salt concentration in a sector is high, justice and goodness, righteousness are preserved.Take for example the advancements in the music industry, without the salts who strive hard to preserve Christian music and make improvements in these songs of worship, there will be no breakthroughs. This is the reason why even if the political arena is already filled with filth and is infiltrated by the agents of corruption and injustice, we must not lose heart for as long as there are salts who are willing to stay inside, then the promises of the Lord will be preserved. Yes it may be hard but if hindrances such as ignorance, apathy, passivity and fear have been overcome, then the grace of God will overflow.

     The question now is, how to become the salt in our government so that in one part of another, we may take part in its cleansing and preservation?

      First, probably the most important one, we must pray for our leaders. Paul teaches us in 1Timothy 2:1-4 to pray with thanksgiving for everyone, for all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness for this is good and it pleases GOD. It may seem so simple, yes it is. That’s why we have to do it, we must pray for our current leaders and even those who will be elected for they badly need it.

Next, as law-abiding citizens, we must pay our taxes. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 13:17). I read this post of a friend regarding the status of the incoming elections and he mentioned how people must change and be wise enough to vote for the right people in order for them to secure the taxes they pay every now and then. Well it is true, one has the duty to secure it and the right to know where it goes but others fail to understand that they also have the duty to pay all of it in all honesty.

     The bible tells us to pick competent leaders and this is the third point.

“Choose some wise, understanding, and respected men each of your tribes and I will set them over you”- Deuteronomy 1:13

 

     God wants His people to choose wisely;to pick wise, understanding and respected men these coming elections. He further emphasized His points in exodus 18:21-22,

“But select capable men from all the people-men who fear GOD, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain- and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”

 

 

       From the scriptures above, we see seven (7) qualities of a good leader GOD wants us to pick: wise, understanding, respected, trustworthy, one who fears GOD, who hates dishonest gain and is able. These qualities do not pertain to only one person I guess that’s why it is critical to mull over these things in the next coming days.

       Now let’s say the elections are done, and someone is already elected as president, what do we do next? Clearly, we have our own part to play in the success of this civil government that is why we must join, cooperate in all activities in order to reveal all information about the status quo. We must learn to be the salt in our own ways, in our own workplace, not only to take part in the cleansing and preservation of the government but to do all means to uphold it. Take for example how Carlos P. Romulo defended the Philippines during the 1948 UN General Assembly in France. Someone in the assembly insulted him when he was proposing the inclusion of the Philippine map in the logo of the UN. The person told him  blatantly,“You are just a little man from a little country”, but instead of focusing on the insult, he politely answered, “It is the duty of the little davids of this world to fling pebbles of truth in the eyes of blasphemous goliaths to make a change.” Additional remarks followed, “The Philippines is too small to include, it will be a tiny dot”. And Carlos P. Romulo gracefully told the assembly with full of conviction, “I want that dot.”. And there it was, the Philippines as the tiny dot in the UN logo. If we really want change, then we should start to make the big move. If we want the Philippines to go somewhere brighter, we must all act  as the salt. If we want GOD to pour forth blessings and prosper this nation, we must ask Him with all our hearts.

      People may ask, What if the corrupt will prevail? What if people will still suffer? Where will the country go from here if that happens? Truth is, no one can answer any of these but at least we know where to start, we know what to pray for, we know what to do. Perhaps the most helpful answer for these things is nothing but a question that shall open doors to the answers. That is, “Who is really in-charge of this government?”. :)