Elections/Upcoming Midterms -- Who should Christians vote for?

Every election cycle is portrayed as the most vital one to date; each new election cycle is hyped-up more than the last one. Americans are constantly being told that this is “the most important election ever in our Nation’s history.” We are cautioned, our “Liberty is at stake,” we are warned our “freedoms and way of life” are on the line -- this hyperbolic propaganda is repeated around the clock, all the while ignoring God's role in assigning positions of authority.

Yes, November 8th all 435 seats of the House of Representatives and 35 out of the 100 Senate seats are being contested, as well as our Volunteer State’s gubernatorial election. Should your church leadership tell you who to vote for? No. Should your church leaders tell you which political party to support? Never.

It is divisive to denounce any politician by name or to promote your political party from the pulpit. Ethically, your church leadership has no business telling you who you should vote for -- it is improper and perhaps even illegal for church leaders to tell you who you should vote for.

Our way of voting is rather new. The Bible was written in the historical context of monarchies and Theocratic imperialism. If you search your Bible forever you won’t find the words “Democratic elections” or “Voters rights.” Instead, we read:

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (I Timothy 2:1-2)

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:1-2)

“Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (I Peter 2:13-17)

In other words, from these three passages, it is not up to us to establish the political leadership. It is our obligation to be submissive to political leaders and to pray for them, regardless of whether we agree or disagree with them.

Could your church, can your church, teach you how to vote like a Christian? Yes, they can and should. The pulpit isn't the place to shame or coerce people into voting your party’s way, instead churches should help their congregations learn how to vote like Christians.

How could Christians vote more faithfully? For starters we should pray for guidance from God, and then be willing to pray for all of our political leaders, even the ones we disagree with after they take office. As a matter of conscience, we should prayerfully consider casting our votes carefully. Secondly, I do believe our voting is based on character and principles, the person in office matters as much as their proposed policies.

As you ponder who to vote for in November, consider Jesus’ response to Pilate’s interrogation in John 18:36-37, “36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Our churches have an obligation to guide us to live faithfully, even in a world rife with political corruption -- we are blessed today with unimaginable freedoms that allow us to participate in our elections, this serious obligation is not to be taken lightly. Ultimately, as we vote, we must consider, our kingdom isn't of this world, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ...” (Philippians 3:20)

Just another hater?

 

Maybe God nudged you, maybe you studied your way out, maybe you just got tired of it.  You moved past hating and judging churches you disagreed with as a child.  You realized the Kingdom was bigger than your little group.  But, have you traded your Pharisaical card in for a Sadducees card?  

The question is, who are you hating or judging these days, or have you really moved on from your roots?  Who is the target of your contempt & distain, or have you given up on trying to fix everyone else and you are ready to get to work on the real need for change, you, changing yourself?  

It's easy to think we are progressing and growing spiritually, when in reality all we have done is traded or exchanged the set of people we are critiquing.  Judging is judging, shaming is shaming, it doesn't matter if your scorn is aimed at the people outside your circle of believers or at the people who look and act just like you do.  

Harsh, critical, condemnation, dished out smugly is still ugly & unloving no matter who you're aiming it at.  Simply shedding ultra-conservative fundamentalism only to hate & condemn people stuck in their supposed ignorance isn't progress, it's procrastination  -- it's holding on to our immature feelings of superiority, the ones we tried hard to run from in the first place.  

Who you complain about the most says a lot about your state of mind.  Don't "grow up" to be just another hater.  

Embrace this simple key to happiness

 

In this picture you see cat paw prints, prints that once angered me greatly.  Tammy and I have done a few decorative concrete projects at our home, and in this case, as I applied a broomed texture to our colored concrete sidewalk, our outdoor-stray cat hopped off the porch and tramped across the wet concrete walk, forever leaving her prints -- in that moment of anger I may have said a few words I'm not proud of.  

Anger results from feeling weak/vulnerable, feeling like we have no control over the situation.  Over time, unresolved anger does more damage to us than the problem that angered us did. 

Today as I blew the early fall leaves off our walk, seeing those cat prints made me smile.  Why?  I have no idea.  But today it felt funny seeing her prints.  Seeing those silly little paw prints brought a little bit of joy to me.  I paused from blowing leaves for a moment and soaked in the healing.

Strangely, with time we can laugh at our mistakes, hurtful offences, and the past pain we've suffered.   The key to happiness isn't saying too soon we are at peace with the pain, or making light of the problem that wounded us.  That would be denial, and that is unhealthy.  

You can't rush acceptance.  But, you shouldn't deny its presence when acceptance knocks on your heart's door either.  

The key to happiness is embracing the laughter and easy feelings when they do hit us, don't fight the joy, embrace the laughter when it comes.  It's natural to be defensive and to try to hold tightly to your unique pain, as any victim would.  Embrace the acceptance in the moment, and you'll be happier.  

I don't do this enough, but I'm learning to let myself laugh at what once made me angry.  I encourage you to give it a try.