Campaign Posters

I was on a run earlier this morning when a pick-up truck drove by me covered in campaign posters. There’s a local election coming up for our city government and one candidate’s logo was plastered all over this truck. There was even a massive, wooden billboard in the back of the truck that I’m pretty sure you could see from space. “Vote for so and so” was written in 3-foot tall letters. And then it hit me... wait, I know that guy driving that truck... that’s the candidate himself! It was his name on the billboard and posters that were plastered on his own truck! I kinda laughed to myself. I mean, I guess if you’re running for office, you have to put your sign in your own yard and all that, but this just felt a little excessive. It was like walking around shouting at the top of your voice, “There’s no one better than ME! The problem with our town is that there’s not enough of ME at the top! Let’s change all that by voting for ME!”

Maybe I’m being too hard on the guy. I don’t know. But as the truck drove on past me and I kept running, I realized that I’m prone to do the same thing, only in more subtle ways. I want to be recognized. I find myself talking about my achievements. I want to make sure everyone knows how much I’ve done and how cool I am.

Lately, the most beautiful thing to me about the message of Jesus has been the part about how I don’t have anything to prove anymore. Oh wow... what a relief! Jesus paid for all my wrong. He gave me His righteousness as a free gift. God accepts me - not because I’ve been so awesome, but because Jesus took my place and declared me acceptable forever, no matter what. So, I don’t have to be awesome. I don’t have to achieve anything. I don’t have to compete. I don’t have to have all the answers. I don’t have to win. I don’t have anything to be proud of because there’s no room for boasting. I don’t have to prove anything... i just get to be me and I’m totally accepted and loved. Ahhh. I don’t need a campaign poster. All I need is a thank you card to Jesus.

Thanks, Lord. You rock.