Shiny Objects and Pretty Faces

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Samuel 9:2

And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

NKJV

1 Samuel 13:14

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

NKJV

King Saul and King David provide a stark contrast between a leader selected by the people and a leader ordained by God.  This account in scripture begins with the people desiring a king (1 Samuel 8:1-22).  In spite of Samuel’s efforts to talk the Israelites out of having a king to lead them, they insisted and selected Saul as the first King of Israel.  As 1 Samuel 9:2 tells us, the people of Israel primarily selected Saul due to his good looks and the fact he was taller than anyone else in Israel. 

Many believe voters prefer attractive candidates.  This belief is what caused David Cameron to airbrush a campaign poster.  (1)  In fact, recent research has revealed that a candidate’s appearance can lead to a far greater vote swing than even the cynics have imagined.  (2)  As we saw with the selection of Saul as first king of Israel, this attraction to good-looking leaders is nothing new.

One theory as to why people prefer attractive leaders is something called the “halo effect.”  This effect causes us to attribute many positive characteristics to attractive people.  (3)  However, Jesus reminds us that what is on the outside of a person, their appearance, is not important for it is what is inside a person’s heart that is important (Matthew 23:25-26, Luke 11:39-40). 

Candidates also like to distract voters with shiny objects or trivial issues that in the big picture are of little importance.  For example, a candidate may parade an illegal immigrant coming from abject poverty or even oppression into the United States to make a better life for his or her family.  Jeb Bush, a current GOP candidate for President has stated that those illegally coming into our country are committing an act of love.  (4)  However, border patrol agents have witnessed Iraqi terrorists crossing the Texas border.   (5)  I wonder what act of love these individuals may be planning.  The only act of love a radical terrorist might be planning in my opinion is an act of love towards Allah by killing American infidels, such as Christians or Jews. 

Then we have the shiny object of the supposed “war on women.”  It has now become clear that Hillary Clinton cites her major qualification for President as the fact she is a woman.  (6)  The fact that her gender is different from the other democrat candidates is somehow supposed to trump, no pun intended, her flip-flopping in issues like the Keystone Pipeline, her email scandal, or Benghazi.  (7)  Now, I am not against a woman being President of the United States, but gender is part of one’s appearance and smart voters will dig deeper to find what is in the heart of a candidate and not just their outward appearance.  For the Clintons, all I see are hearts full of lies and deception, something we have had enough of at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

This election cycle I encourage voters to become smart voters by

1)      Deciding what issues are most important for our nation.

2)      Not just going by what slick marketers and campaign operatives place in campaign ads and web sites but dig deeper into the candidates past accomplishments and activities. 

3)      Pay attention to a candidates values for they provide a glimpse into the heart of the candidate. 

This election is a crucial fork in the road for the United States.  Do we continue down the road of bigger government and socialism like Europe, the result of which will be what we have witnessed in Greece, or do we reverse course and turn back to the constitutional and godly values of liberty that made the United States great. 

For me, I plan to vote for candidates supporting change back to our Constitutional and godly roots.  The United States cannot afford to elect another Saul that looks good on the outside, but inside is an empty suit.  Instead, we must elect a David, a man after God’s own heart that supports the God given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

1. The Telegraph. Voters 'prefer attractive politicians'. www.telegraph.co.uk. [Online] The Telegraph, January 27, 2010. [Cited: October 20, 2015.] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/7080729/Voters-prefer-attractive-politicians.html.

2. The Guardian. A candidate's looks count for far more than voters like to believe. www.theguardian.com. [Online] The Guardian, June 17, 2012. [Cited: October 20, 2015.] www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/17/candidate-winning-look-voters-romney-obama.

3. Kenrick, Andrew Edward White and Douglas T. Why Attractive Candidates Win. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, November 1, 2013. [Cited: October 20, 2015.] mobile.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/opinion/sunday/health-beauty-and-the-ballot.html?referer=&_r=0.

4. Breitbart TV. JEB BUSH: CROSSING THE BORDER ILLEGALLY AN 'ACT OF LOVE'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, April 6, 2014. [Cited: June 24, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/04/06/Jeb-Bush-Crossing-The-Border-Illegally-Is-An-Act-Of-Love.

5. Ollstein, Alice. Rick Perry: Iraqi Terrorists Likely Crossing The Texas Border. thinkprogress.org. [Online] ThinkProgress, August 21, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2014.] http://thinkprogress.org/election/2014/08/21/3474264/rick-perry-immigration-2/.

6. Schow, Ashe. Hillary Clinton 2016 Strategy revealed: I'm a Woman, Vote for Me. www.washingtonexaminer.com. [Online] The Washington Examiner, April 25, 2015. [Cited: October 21, 2015.] http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/hillary-clinton-2016-strategy-revealed-im-a-woman-vote-for-me/article/2560695.

7. Spiering, Charlie. Hillary Clinton's Top 7 Worst Moments of the CNN Debate. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, October 14, 2015. [Cited: October 21, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/14/hillary-clintons-top-7-worst-moments-cnn-debate/.