Could a Loser be the Winner?

February 1, 2016

It’s a great day for Groundhogs.

They must be spending the day getting ready for tomorrow’s festivities. “Six more weeks of winter” is a mantra they must teach their young, from their earliest days in the burrow. Tomorrow, all eyes will be on Punxsutawney awaiting the big announcement…

It may be anticlimactic, after the Big Announcement tonight, from Des Moines. Instead of “six more weeks of winter,” we’re in for 40 more weeks of politics: in 281 short days, we’ll have a winner in the Race to the White House. The first reports are due tonight…

Coming out of Iowa, two bigger-than-the-rest candidates will cast a shadow that will set the pundits into proclamation mode: caucus goers in 1700 precincts will appear to speak for the rest of America in turning sentiments into statements, and marking a ballot to pick a favorite. The man or woman with the most votes is the winner…

That’s our version of democracy – and it’s still the best model around – but I always find myself torn between the nightly news and the timeless truth. In American history, the majority has always prevailed (which is why Florida – in 2000 – had such a problem with their “hanging chads”); in Bible history, the majority has a checkered history…

Joseph’s 10 brothers had their own caucus – back in Genesis 37 – and they had a unanimous outcome: sell their disliked younger brother for $ 114.88 (based on today’s spot-price for silver) to some slave traders headed for Egypt. He lost that vote in the wilderness… but was later named #2 to Pharaoh in Egypt, and his brothers had to deal with their earlier bad decision in real time.

Moses took two million Jews from Egypt to within sight of the Promised Land… and sent a 12-man Task Force into the territory to scope things out and deliver a representative conclusion. They loved the geography, but were overwhelmed by the demographics: the vote was 2/10 to go forward, and the majority prevailed. The next 40 years of miserable wandering was the result of an overwhelming election outcome.

Saul found out that God was sponsoring a candidate who was tapped to replace him on the throne of Israel. He had an opposing view, and was able to mobilize his military forces to vote against him (with their weapons drawn, they were convincing). The candidate with the least delegates would ultimately prevail, but the process was protracted and ultimately cost Saul his life (1 Samuel 21-24).

Gideon figured that voter turnout was key to his win: he faced 135,000 Midianites who were on the march to victory in their campaign to wipe out the Jews, and only 32,000 of his countrymen came out to “vote” with their swords. The odds weren’t good – 4:1 – so it was great news when God told him that they had a problem with their numbers (which Gideon knew). God’s solution: thin the herd; He didn’t need a majority to win the battle. The final count: 300 Jews against 135,000 Midianites. The outcome? You know the winner: Gideon went from powerless farmer to leader of Israel for 40 years, because of a winning minority who defied the odds…

Rocket forward about 1500 years, and you find the ultimate losing majority: when Pilate put it to a vote, the crowd was unified behind Barabbas. They sent Jesus – candidate for King of the Jews – into political exile, on a Roman cross. The majority must be right… right?

Polls and surveys have preoccupied the world for months; tonight, votes will be counted. Anticipation over outcomes will rise and fall like tides for the next eight months. A caution: God doesn’t need popular agreement to do His thing. Most often, the “majority” is wrong.

Just sayin’…

Bob Shank