This week’s cover for the ‘New Yorker’ shows four cartoon frames. A small figure walks towards us. As it gets closer we see that it’s Obama, walking on water. The final frame shows a surprised Obama as one leg disappears beneath the surface.
Very witty. Some people really felt that, like Jesus, Obama could walk on water. Now he’s suffered some set-backs. We grin.
But the metaphor has a deeper level. All Saviors, including Jesus, disappointed their followers (think about the crucifixion and you’ll see what I mean). And that is the whole point.
Saviors are not here to do everything for us. They arrive and ask us if we want to be part of the solution (‘Together We Can’) — and then we have to get on with saving our own lives.
So I’ll say to those disenchanted voters, did you even try to be part of the solution? Really? Or did you simply hand over a broken country to a new president and say, ‘Here, fix this mess’ ? Frankly, you wouldn’t treat your car mechanic that way. Why would you be less patient with your president?
The savior’s task is not to save you, but to get you to save yourself.
So – are you up for it? After all, we can always choose to remain as Orphans. It’s our choice.
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