Vetted

Are you as tired as I am with all the mudslinging, political maneuvering and elbowing for face time that dominates the primary race this political season? The he said, she said gossipy dribble that persists in a witch-hunt for a sound byte that will give one candidate a leg up on the other is odious. It has become wearisome and childish. Frankly, it has become a bad reality show gone awry! I heard an interesting twist on this malaise of vitriolic backbiting by one of the candidate’s spouses who put the political spin on this bickering by saying, “By election time the candidate will have become thoroughly vetted.” I assumed they mean that such scrutiny will exorcise all the demons and release the skeletons from the closet so the victorious candidate will be squeaky clean. However, I think there is a difference between scrutiny and mudslinging.

Merriam Webster dictionary gives the following as the second definition of vetted:

2 a: to subject to usually expert appraisal or correction <vet a manuscript> b: to evaluate for possible approval or acceptance <vet the candidates for a position>

The idea of one being proven or tested is not only a sound idea (i.e. I’m glad people have to be proven before they offer services like surgery, driving, construction, etc.) but it is also a biblical idea as well. We are to test the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4:1). Those holding office in the church must first be tested (1 Timothy 3:10). One should self examine themselves in regards to their motives (1 Corinthians 11:28) and their understanding (2 Corinthians 13:5). Socrates is right when he said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” One should be vetted in this life… but the important issue here is the spirit in which the examination is given. If it is for the purpose of defamation or personal gain then the first truly becomes the last. That is, old plank eye proves he has no re-speck (Matthew 7:3)! The Pharisees were not wrong because they paid attention to detail (Matthew 23:23) but because they disregarded the greater matters, that is, they vetted their world not to reveal God’s glory but expose failure. Examination is less about weeding and more about a harvest of righteousness (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43; Romans 14:17).

So… Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you –unless, of course, you fail the test? …For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth (2 Corinthians 13:5, 8). -DAN