I would be sadly amiss if I didn’t post anything about the looming presidential election. Several million people have voted already (I am sure) and maybe you are one of them. I am one of them. I voted early because standing in line on Tuesday to support a list of laughable candidates was not appealing to me.
This presidential election is not the most important election of our time. Regardless of what people might think, it really just is not. The most important presidential election has been every presidential election to date. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. It just comes as pure common sense that every election has led us to where we are; therefore, they have all been equally important.
As a Christian, I have heard many, many things about this election. Some of my fellow Christians have become remarkably vocal. Some have become remarkably silent. I have waxed both silent and vocal because I teeter between wanting to be a political junkie who must. be. heard. versus being an actual Christian who tries to love everyone, regardless of if they’re voting for abortion rights or gay marriage or other decidedly unchristian things.
This idea that all elections are important and that we should all have our voice heard is quite true. Unfortunately, there are quite a few people who don’t believe this way. I’ve heard many people, some of whom are my close friends, tell me that they weren’t voting because God is in control and whatever will happen He has planned out anyway. This response used to baffle and annoy me. Baffle, because it was true and I didn’t have a response and annoy because it wasn’t true yet I still did not have a response. Now, some odd years later, I know what I would say if someone confronted me with that statement. Regardless of if you are Christian or not, voting is important. It’s important because, although one can be a Christian, it’s not their only label. We are Christians in spiritual practice, but Americans in everything else we say and do. We pay taxes, drive on roads provided by the government, fight in wars, protest accordingly, practice our Amendment rights, etc. We are Americans AND we are Christians. The two are separate, distinct parts of our makeup. You can be an American without being Christian but you can’t be a Christian without being an American unless you weren’t born here in which case that’s another story. And that’s why you should vote. God does have everything in control and I find it completely unsurprising that this election wraps up with two of the most disliked candidates in the history of the United States (that I know of, perhaps this is not the only time). But just because He has it under control does not make you any less American.
One thing I have heard quite a bit this election is the phrase, “Jesus for president!” I’ve said it myself quite a few times and even wondered if I should write Him in. This theory of Jesus being the president is, of course, quite unrealistic. He would have a hard time being seen during the inaugural speech and it wouldn’t be fair to the other nations because He could read the thoughts and intents of their leaders. But never mind, Jesus for president is a great idea although an inherently kind of…silly one.
So tomorrow it happens! Luckily the Lord did foreordain that tomorrow I have church so I won’t be forced to venture out of my apartment to glue myself to a TV for election results. I will instead have things in their rightful place and will be focused on the One who really should be president (even if it’s a false idea) and that’s better than anything else.
No comments:
Post a Comment