Thank God none of my children is likely to become President of the United States. Instead, they are focused on English literature, teaching, filmmaking, and creating businesses: the important jobs. If Jane were to decide to give up filmmaking and run for the White House, I would be disappointed, but support her. It is a necessary job being President and somebody has to do it.
My adult children are doing some of the jobs that our politicians, the President amongst them, exist to serve and protect. Our government does not give us anything. God has given us certain inalienable rights (life, liberty, happiness) and because we are created in His image we too have created. We create art, literature, discover scientific laws, and make things. Government exists to protect our God given rights and our human creations. From whom? Wicked men who would alienate us from our natures (taking our liberty) or rob us of our creations.
People create culture and our Republic exists to defend it from the enemies of culture.
An error is creeping into the Republic that says that all our best and brightest should aspire to office. If we find an articulate man, we think: “He should be President.” By contrast, conservatives and Christians (not always the same!) both respond to excellence by saying: “Thank God. He is doing what he is meant to do. He is doing better work than a politician. I hope he can keep it up.” When I see a good person running for President out of the private sector, I think: “We have lost a great citizen for what may be a decent candidate. What a pity. I hope it was necessary.”
My pastors are more important than the President to our civilization. These good men unite the visible with the invisible and so make the world whole. Friends are much more vital to my flourishing than governmental officials. My friends join together to create the city, the community, or polis, that creates civilization. We don’t get paid for the fellowship that binds us, because the value is beyond money.
Dozens of private sector workers are more important to me than the President. My doctor and the American medical establishment have given our generation the potential to live longer and be healthier even if we do not always choose to take advantage of their wisdom. My lawyer and the American legal establishment (outside of government) make sure that everybody has a voice when we go to court. Scientists all over the world are giving us solutions to problems that my grandparents could only imagine.
Do not be confused: the fact that most jobs are better than government jobs does not mean government jobs are bad. They are a servant’s job and Christianity exalts that role as well. We honor the government worker, even the President, for making the best jobs possible. We honor the Armed Services for the same reason: no Christian is glad there must be soldiers, but we honor those who do a job that must be done. The world is broken, so armies and governments are necessary.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Meanwhile, let’s remind our brightest and best there is nothing ignoble about public service, but that it is not the highest honor the Republic can bestow. We are “citizens:” our Republican badge of nobility.
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