5 Thoughts for Election Day
It’s election-time again, though if you’ve had the television on at all these last few weeks you don’t need me to tell you that! Folks sometimes ask me who to vote for, and I don’t think I’ve ever given a straight answer. It’s not because I don’t have an opinion on the matter, but because quite often, there is not an easy answer. Others will disagree with me on this, but let me explain.
I can think of four friends right now that I love and respect. All four are committed believers, active in their local church, and dedicated to their families. But come election day, two of my friends will vote Republican, and two will vote Democrat. Which two are “right?”
We posses a certain freedom in Christ. What is #1 to me as a Christian may be #2 to you and vice versa. But it is all important to God. With each election year, I can never find a candidate with whom I agree on all issues, so I have to prioritize what is most important to me and consider how that candidate will make a difference.
Here are five things I consider when Election Day arrives:
- Should I look beyond that one “hot” issue: If the candidate has 1 good opinion and 99 bad ones, how does that do any good?
- What is the candidate’s potential to keep his/her word: Can the candidate really have the authority to deliver on those big promises once in office?
- Does the candidate share my values: How do they spend their time? Do they have any stated religious convictions?
- How about the candidate’s integrity: Does the candidate have a record of honesty in business, marital fidelity, and/or showing up for votes?
- With this candidate in office, will my county/state/nation still provide a political framework for religious freedom?
The ideal candidate would be one who uses this verse as his or her checklist while in office:
“...Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:7-9 ESV Emphasis Added
