Political science, philosophy, and human history is full of yearning for just governments. While it would be ideal for the perfect government to always act justly, perfectly balancing individual liberties, free markets, and the collective good, our broken human nature puts that possibility unreachable. Governments tend, more often than not, to ignore their citizens and instead focus on the constituency of one: themselves.

Hard as it is to admit, we tend to get the governments we deserve. In democracies, elected officials represent the people who elect them, in nearly every sense of the word. Countries are big places, and there are the selfless and the selfish, the serving and the self-serving. It shouldn’t offend of sensibilities to see in our government a mirror, although it might nudge us closer to virtue.

The story of Christianity, and the reason the religion is so difficult to accept, is its raw paradox. God, the omniscient and omnipotent, uses His power to… become a human. God, in His completeness, choose to create and dignify humanity and is at pains to have them live in relationship with Him. He is the ultimate bridge-builder and chasm-crosser, and His relentless and loving pursuit of us confounds the human mind.

This timeless truth extends further. We long for good rulers and governance, though it is never within our grasp. What does it say that our King governs justly? He only prohibits things that hurt us, no matter how sweet they might seem. He gains nothing from obedience to the Commandments; He’s already complete. Instead, He gives us guardrails for our own good, edification, and glory.

When we look at our government and see ourselves reflected, it fills us with a sense of uncertainly and unease. How much happier we would be to look in the mirror and see God’s goodness reflected in ourselves.