Reflections of an Election

I just won a very close election to my 6th term on a public school board of education. How close, you ask? 14 votes close and two of those 14 were mine and, I hope, my wife’s. That’s razor thin, but as they say in sports, a “w” is a “w”.

For weeks people have been asking me, “What do think about this election?” My answer has been consistently, “Either way I’ll win. If I lose, I get back bus loads of time to be with my wife and family, finish my book, pastor my church and slip some time off in there somewhere. If I win, well, I win.” But a strange thing happened to me on the way to the results; I started getting nervous about the outcome.

In the past the district administrator calls me late after he’s had time to certify the election results. Last night was no different. But “late” started getting really late. My mind said, “You’ve lost! They just don’t want to call you because they feel sorry for you.” When the phone finally rang I took a deep breath and tried to act calm (which was dumb, seeing as how my wife and dog were the only ones around to see me) and I answered the call like I didn’t know who was calling.

“Hey Randy…..do you want the good news or the bad news?” Now, if I say I want the good news it sounds greedy BUT if the good news is that I lost (remember, I’ve told everyone that no matter what, I win) I am suddenly in need of sounding cheerful when I’m not. Anyway, I’m not even sure how I answered.

“Well, I’ll give you the bad news first….you’re back on for another 3 years.” I suppressed an “ALL RIGHT! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!”, and muttered an “aw shucks…well, OK”. When I laid down to go to sleep…..I couldn’t. My brain was ON. What’s up?

I’d like to tell you something really profound and spiritual sounding. Can’t do it. It came down to this; I hate losing and deep inside I was more wound up about the possibility losing this election than I had been willing to admit.

Which brings me to a teachable moment in this blog. Why am I on this board of education to begin with? To serve and demonstrate the attractive value system of God’s Kingdom in Christ. I’m not there, as some raging fundamentalist to promote creationism or intelligent design. I’m not there to protect the school from the political agenda of the “left”. I’m there to serve humans in love. The final and only valuable proof of a Creator and His intelligent design is our life, not curriculum. If we don’t live what we teach, then we are teaching something else.

I'm there to authentically love people on the “left” and the “right” and be the Voice of Christ when the voices of acrimony and hate subject educational processes to anybody’s political agenda. On the opposite side of the spectrum I’ve found that hate knows no political boundary; both sides can hate equally from behind their masks of sincerity.

I’m there to serve and demonstrate the attractive value system of God’s Kingdom in Christ. I’ve learned that God can be legally involved in public schools when His people carry Him in the front doors with a heart to love, even our enemies, perceived or otherwise.

I’ve learned that I’ll be asked to pray when I stop demanding to pray. I’ve learned that I’ll be asked to quote scripture when I stop threatening to use scripture.

I’ve learned that many political strategies will fail, but that love never fails. And since I hate losing and I enjoy winning, I think I’ll stick to the winning strategy of Kingdom living and loving.

Thank you, God, for 14 votes.