When No One Is Worthy
Can you imagine a world where political leaders couldn’t be bought or bribed? A world where corruption is completely eradicated? Most of us would probably say, “That’s impossible – at least until Jesus returns.”
Well, Albania has just attempted something extraordinary. This month, they appointed the first cabinet member who isn’t even human. Her name is Diella – a government-created AI bot designed to combat corruption.
Dressed in traditional Albanian attire, Diella began as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, helping citizens access state documents more efficiently. Now she’s been promoted to a cabinet-level position overseeing public procurement. She cannot be bought, threatened, or “manipulated.”[1]
When I read this breaking news, it made me want to sit down and weep. Is there no one who is just? Could they not find even one righteous person?
Revelation 5 immediately came to mind:
Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals’(Revelation 5:1-5).
I can almost feel John’s disappointment and devastation in this passage. After living in this world for a few decades, I’ve become deeply aware of the disappointments that come when no one measures up. There is no political leader, no spiritual leader, no human leader, who will never let us down. Yet there’s something so deeply human in our longing for someone truly worthy, only to be reminded over and over again that on this side of heaven, there is no one.
And now, for the first time in history, we’ve reached a point where we’re looking to a robot to help humanity govern fairly. It may help Albania for a time. But it reminds us of something deeper; no matter how technologically advanced our society becomes, it cannot and will not solve the condition of the human heart.
We don’t need another system; we desperately need a savior. All of creation groans for the return of the Lamb of God, who began building His kingdom among the lowly and forgotten. His kingdom is coming and He will reign with perfect righteousness, truth and mercy. Our hearts ache for that day. Until then, while the world turns to robots, we make our hearts ready for the only One worthy.
“Jesus conquered not by force but by death, not by violence but by martyrdom.” – Craig S. Keener[2]
Written by Kori, Life in Messiah staff
How do you deal with disappointment in leadership?
What would it look like for you to fully trust in God, regardless of the advances in technology and changing political and cultural tides?
Interested in the challenges of AI? Check out https://www.lifeinmessiah.org/blog/learning-from-ai.
Endnotes:
[1] https://www.politico.eu/article/albania-apppoints-worlds-first-virtual-minister-edi-rama-diella/.
[2] Revelation commentary, Craig S. Keener page 186.