“I move for a vote of no confidence”. Individuals that fall under the umbrella of the ‘millennial generation’ or any American with a tentative grasp on Geroge Lucas’ masterpiece known as Star Wars probably recognizes the aforementioned quote. Those were the words uttered by Queen Amidala in a mudslinging tactic she was pressured into by the bad guy, Chancellor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, The Emperor, etc. The point of this endeavor was to paint the current Head of State so that he looked like a power hungry, uncompassionate dictator who did not care about the plight of the people under his jurisdiction. It was an attack on a man’s character, and it worked.
But mudslinging is not just limited to the science-fiction realm. It’s also a preferred tactic of today’s political campaign managers. In the most recent presidential election (2012) Mitt Romney was assaulted with mudslinging by his democratic foes. Not attacks on his stances on issues, but rather an attack on his personal morality. It worked. This strategy was employed to paint Romney as an uncaring and greedy millionaire who took advantage of the ‘little guy’ to get to where he was. Surprisingly the campaign method of Democrats didn’t focus on issues like the economy or healthcare. It seemed to have worked, and this says something about America. Personal morally and character are highly regarded traits in leaders.
Believers are called to a high standard of morality and personal lifestyle choices. From the moral law of the Pentateuch to the Sermon on the Mount the scriptures are filled with ethical instruction. And none of it is optional. Jesus himself placed believers on a high pedestal when he declared that we were to be a light and city on a hill in Matthew 5:14. By Jesus saying this he has pushed us into the forefront of the public scene, and with the rise of social media and technology believers are thrust onto a stage. And if political figures like Mitt Romney can be defamed by an attack on character, then certainly Christians who claim such an encompassing ethical framework found in the Bible as key to the Christian’s life can also easily lose their credibility.
Character and integrity should be of paramount importance to the believer. The list of evangelicals whose ministries have been destroyed because of personal sin or lack of integrity is long. The thunderous crashes of men like Jimmy Swaggart have had a profound effect upon the way Christianity is viewed. Peter understood this when he called for honorable conduct for the reason of maintaining a strong Christian witness (1 Peter 2:12).
What better example of a high profile believer falling is there then King David. A kingdom, thriving relationship with God, any possessions his heart could desire and he threw it away. His sin with Bathsheba came at a high price, as promised in Numbers 32:33 his sin found him out. The price of sin is high because it not only separates one from God; it also ruins the validity and authenticity of the Christian witness. No one escapes from the consequence of personal sin, as Paul stated in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap”. And if a political candidate (a historically moral-less profession) can be destroyed because his personal character is attacked, how much easier can it be for the Christian believer to fall prey to defamation of personal character and the Christian faith. Let us pray that the terribly unsure and lost world can give believers “A vote of confidence”.
Consider the very short and simple phrase that Paul gives us in 1 Thessalonians 5:22:
“Abstain from all appearance of evil”
Chandler Fayard 