Jesus Is All That Matters
Reflections on the Election
Tomorrow is the election, and the stakes feel monumental. We’ve been told—by both sides—that this is the most important election in our nation’s history. Each side is rallying under the belief that they are the salvation of democracy, the one solution to the threat of certain destruction. And it’s no wonder so many people are anxious and fearful. Stress and tension are palpable in conversations, online debates, and even in our churches and communities. It’s a challenging, even heartbreaking, place to find ourselves as a nation, with division and anger clouding our ability to see one another with love and compassion.
As I think about all of this, I’m reminded of something my youth pastor, Tom, told me many years ago. It’s a simple statement that has stuck with me throughout my life, returning to me, especially when things seem hopeless and scary, moments like the one we find ourselves in today — having no idea what things will be like the day after tomorrow.
I was a teenager on a mission trip in Baltimore with my youth group. One afternoon, during some downtime, I got into a heated argument with a few friends over a basketball game. Our tempers flared as the competitive spirit took over, and before we knew it, our disagreement was becoming intense. That’s when Tom, my youth pastor, came running over. He didn’t say much, but with a look of frustration and disappointment, he simply said, “Jesus is all that matters.” He repeated it several times, his voice filled with conviction and intensity.
At the time, I’m not sure I fully understood the weight of his words. I’m pretty sure I thought it was a weird thing for him to say. Tom was thinking on another level than I was. He came to Baltimore with a Kingdom mindset and Kingdom purposes. I know he was hoping to instill these in us, but we wanted to be right, and we wanted to win our game. How easily our hearts and minds were distracted and consumed by lesser things.
What struck me the most in the moment was the disappointment in his eyes and voice, and the full meaning of his message didn’t hit me until years later. Tom’s influence in my life was profound. His passion for Jesus made a huge impact on who I became. I wouldn’t be the pastor I am today if it weren’t for his mentorship and the example he set. That moment on the basketball court is etched in my memory—not because of the game or even the argument, but because of the magnitude of Tom’s message to us.
And so, as I think about the state of our nation, the fear, the anger, the confusion, I hear Tom’s voice in my heart, “Jesus is all that matters.”
This statement isn’t a call to indifference or passivity. It doesn’t mean we stop caring about the world or that we become apathetic to the suffering and challenges around us. It doesn’t mean that our vote doesn’t matter—it certainly does. Rather, it’s an anchor, a reminder of our ultimate foundation. When our hope is rooted in Jesus, we don’t have to carry the weight of the world’s problems on our shoulders. It’s peace and confidence that comes from knowing that Jesus alone is our salvation, our strength, and our true north. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow.
Isaiah 9:6–7 gives us this promise:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
This scripture grounds me. It reminds me that ultimately, no matter who sits in earthly seats of power, Jesus is the one on the throne. He is the fulfillment of all the things we long for: justice, righteousness, peace. The weight of governing the world is upon His shoulders, not ours.
In Him alone, we find the promise of eternal peace. In Him, we find that our hope, our salvation, our life’s purpose are secure. No politician or political party can be our savior. The hope of the world rests in Jesus, and in Him, we have everything we need. One day, through Jesus, all that is wrong will be made right.
So as I approach tomorrow, as I hear the voices shouting for my allegiance and my anxiety, I’m reminded that my calling, my mission, is simply to pursue Jesus with all my heart, and to give my life to proclaim Him. He is the answer to the cries of humanity, the only One who can heal and restore.
Jesus alone knows how to fulfill His purposes in the world. His ways are higher than ours. His wisdom far surpasses ours. I trust that when all is said and done—maybe not in the short term, but certainly in the long term—we will rejoice in the wisdom and greatness of our God, who “works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
Apart from Jesus it is impossible to have peace. But in Him is perfect peace.
Jesus is all that matters.
