By Jeremy Reynalds, Ph.D.
Founder and CEO
Joy Junction Inc.
Election coverage is dominating the news cycle.
While one candidate calls his opponent a nasty woman and she fires back that he’s a puppet of (Russian President ) Vladimir Putin, millions go hungry and their plight is practically dismissed by most American media as viewers complain but revel in the election horse race.
In an unscientific experiment, I put the word “hunger” into the CNN search engine. Just over three thousand hits came back. I then tried “U.S. election,” and found 36,985 results.
Media coverage can motivate people to action, but the media cover what people want to see or read. It is, after all, the media “business.” It appears that hunger is not at the top of the agenda. Instead, we hear predictions on cable news and unparalleled vitriol on social media of dire catastrophe of what will happen if the “wrong” political candidate wins the election. 
I found this comment on one Facebook page. “(sic) Praying Trump get in the white house so him and God can clean up Obammer and Hellery’s mess.”
Then there was this one. “As a Christian, I do believe we are all sinners … One (candidate) is a decent, honest man who loves his country and its people, and one is a female who is a corrupt politician- make your choice.”
On the same page, on a thread commenting about billionaire George Soros, there was this disturbing comment from Maggie (sic). “Please lord take out these sinners … I wish SOros was dead.”
This opposing comment was just as bad on another (much smaller) Facebook page. (sic). “Stick a fork in Trump cause he’s done Case Closed.”
Then there was a post on the same site which was conspiratorially alarmist (sic). “Researching all the sites I could find after waking at 3 a.m., is showing the stock market is going to crash! Only one person said Trump won’t hurt us, all of us whether Democrat or Republican … Can anyone find info on this? As much as I disagree with all the yrs of criminal & political corruption both Clinton’s have done, it’s about who will get us through guiding America through this inevitable stock market crash.”
Now while it may be a surprise to some of both political persuasions, the sun will still rise on Nov. 9. That’s because whoever wins, Jesus Christ is still in control.
With that in mind, we asked a number of our guests at Joy Junction who makes (or will make) the biggest difference in their lives: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or Jesus?
One respondent was very clear, saying “I have purposely come to Joy Junction to learn more about Jesus Christ, and try to avoid the distractions of the other two.”
One woman wrote a touching response, saying that Jesus makes the biggest difference in her life. That’s because, she said, “He has helped us through a hurricane and a massive flood in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and while we were on the streets night and day for over eight years. God kept us with food and safe from harm’s way; that’s why we love Him so much.”
One guy said that Trump and Clinton don’t even know He exists, and neither will die for him. That’s unlike Jesus, he said, who took his sins to the cross and died in his place. Jesus, this man said, helps him with the decisions necessary for a better life and is always available. Clinton and Trump, this man emphasized, are too busy destroying each other.
A woman said quite unequivocally that Jesus makes the most difference in her life. She added that while the two presidential candidates have said if we vote for them, things will turn around and get better, there’s a much more reliable option.
“Jesus is the only one that I can put my complete and total trust in.”
Unlike the presidential candidates, she said, Jesus has never lied. “I know that I can stand on His word and it will be the same today, yesterday and forever. Hillary and Donald constantly change their words to fit the occasion. Men will fail. Only Jesus can bring the truth and total peace.”
Another woman was also sold on Jesus being the One Who makes the greatest difference in her life, because He is her “personal leader and Savior.”
She added, “God sacrifices his only son for all of us. I doubt Hillary and Donald would sacrifice any of their children.”
One guy said that Jesus also makes a huge impact on him.
He continued, “Politicians are merely figureheads, and God is the one in control of things in my life and the government leader’s lives. So the answer will always be Jesus regardless of what idiots are in charge of the White House.”
A thought provoking answer came from this man, commenting that whoever wins, Jesus is still in control.
He said, “I may be required to submit to authorities such as the president, but I am required to surrender to Jesus.”
A profound answer came from this person, who like others sided with Jesus making the biggest difference in life.
“No man or women will do better for my life, because they are not perfect and are sinners … No men or women are true to their words, but God is and knows everything, even behind closed doors and in the dark.”
One person said that Jesus makes the biggest difference in life, and that living without Jesus is synonomous with failure.
“My life will become corrupt with a weak foundation, so I want to make my foundation strong.”
Someone else said, “Now that I’ve started to believe in Christ my life has gotten better. I know I still got a long way to go, but it’s worth it. I’ve got a better understanding of death, and I know life truly is a gift.”
One woman said that Jesus is obviously the winner above politicians, because “He is going to be the only constant in your life, throughout everything whether it be good or bad times.”
I loved this comment from writer J. Lee Grady, “If Mrs. Clinton wins the White House, I pray that her Methodist upbringing will cause her to call on Jesus Christ in the hour of our visitation. She, like all of us, needs His mercy.”
Still not convinced? One of our guests gave some badly needed perspective. “Elected officials come and go, but Jesus endures forever.”
