Monday Morning Manna: The Danger of Prophecy

On April 30, 2007, Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, said in an interview, “There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.” We all know how that prediction played out. Prophecy is a dangerous thing. Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4). That said, I think I will predict something. It appears to me that America is headed for the messiest, most embarrassing, chaotic, violent, political time in our history. Some nations will laugh at us, others will cry. Frankly, I’m not sure who I’ll vote for in the upcoming presidential election. An editorial recently proclaimed that Americans had reached a point where we no longer vote FOR politicians, we vote AGAINST politicians. Maybe I should say, I’m not even sure who I will vote against. My Grandfather was a “yellow-dog Democrat” (meaning he would vote for a yellow dog before he would vote Republican) and also a dedicated, ultra-conservative member of the Disciples of Christ Church (Yes, times do change!). In 1960, he faced a dilemma. He wasn’t about to vote for the Republican Richard Nixon and he couldn’t bring himself to vote for the Roman Catholic democrat John Kennedy. I wish I knew what he did on Election Day. Maybe I could learn from it.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.