Clinton vs. Trump or Falcons vs. Saints?

Tonight we will have the opportunity to watch the first of the Presidential debates for this election cycle.  We will also have the opportunity to watch the Atlanta Falcons play the New Orleans Saints in football.  In view of the fact that I have learned to hate politics and love football, on the surface this seems a pretty easy decision.

Forgive me for being a cynic, but it seems that politics has become more of a matter of image over substance, of advertisement over character, of spin over truth.  Both of the major candidates have emphasized the deeply flawed character of their opponents.  I believe that in this regard both candidates are, to a certain degree, telling the truth. 

I am not sure I want to trade an evening of my life to hear two deeply flawed people talk about how they are better than the other.  Allow me to sum up the debate before you have to listen to 90 minutes of diatribe.  One will likely say, “I have experience trust me.  My opponent is reckless and dangerous.”  The other will likely say, “We are in a dangerous position because of people like my opponent.  I can make things better, like they used to be.”  There you have the debate; you can now watch football. 

Don’t get me wrong I am not advocating that voters should be ignorant about the candidates or the issues.  I am just not sure that either of these people will ever be able to impress me.  I am not interested in being depressed by listening to two people throw a lot of mud at each other.  When you throw mud not only do you get your hands dirty you also lose a lot of ground.

As I was reading scripture in the early hours, I reread a passage that seemed to be apropos for today.  Jeremiah 9:23-24

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

It is not my place to judge the spiritual condition of any candidate for office.  I can look at the lives of candidates and ask the question, “By their actions do they appear to understand and know God?”  I will likely vote for one of these two for president, but I doubt seriously I will ever be impressed by either of them.

I suppose, if the Monday night football matchup were more compelling than teams with a combined record of 1 win and 3 losses, I might watch the game.  But the most likely scenario is a good book and early to bed.