Obama Beats Jesus

As shocking as that declaration may be to some people, it is precisely the headline that appeared in news outlets recently. The full statement is: Obama beats Jesus as American ‘hero.’ The story is based upon the results of a new Harris poll asking citizens to name the person they admired enough to call their No. 1 hero. The 2,634 respondents spontaneously named the person for whom they had the highest regard.

In 2001 an identical poll was taken. The top two then were Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King. Obama had yet to make his appearance on the national scene.

For the record, this is not a political issue. I would be equally incensed if the poll had found that any other politician had replaced Jesus in the top spot.

As Christians, we regard Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Son of God who came to save His people from their sins. He certainly deserves higher status than merely being considered a “hero.” But the fact that a poll finds that more Americans have a greater regard for Barak Obama than Jesus Christ is not insignificant.

Jesus is the only person who ever fully achieved His billing as a great man and the Savior of the world. None who believe in Him will ever be disappointed. In contrast, President Obama’s sky-high approval numbers have already begun a significant decline. He cannot live up to the messianic aura that has surrounded his candidacy and early presidency. He is only human; he will make mistakes; he will disappoint.

We must resist the mass frenzy that places any mere human on too exalted a pedestal. We are called to pray for our civil leaders, but we are commanded to worship Jesus Christ.

A poll is simply a tool to gauge public opinion. In this case, the Harris poll reveals an ominous trend that will lead to regret and disillusionment.