Voting for President

Well, the presidential elections in the U.S.A. are about a raucous as an election could get.  I really cannot imagine it getting any worse.  Neither of the leading candidates are well liked.  Most Americans feel as if we are forced to choose between two bad choices.  (I would be one of them.)

But I had lunch today with a couple from our church.  What ensued was a discussion about the election and the candidates that was revealing for me.  One of my lunch-mates announced that he would not vote for anyone for president.  He surmised that he would just leave the ballot for that election unchecked when he votes.  I found myself admonishing him to not squander his vote.  

Moreover, as we talked about it, I began to see that Christians have a duty to vote.  Living in a democracy is a privilege granted to us by none other than God Himself.  (Just ask those who don't live in a democracy.)  I'm not sure that many Christians in America would see it that way.  We may know it is a right - which women and those of African heritage have had to fight for.  But even I have sometimes felt like voting was more of a burden than anything.  

We often resign ourselves to the conclusion that our vote doesn't matter.  After all, I'm just one person among about 300 million people.  If I don't vote, my vote won't be missed.  Of course that argument makes common sense.  Things of this world can make common sense though - and still be wrong.  It just seems that my vote won't be missed.  But the truth is, if enough people took that attitude, it could change the outcome of the election.  Conversely, if enough people vote, that could change the outcome of the election.

Romans 13:1 tells us that "... there is no authority except that which God has established.  The (human) authorities that exist have been established by God."  

To our modern way of looking at things, this makes no sense whatsoever.  There are evil dictators.  There are lame leaders.  There is corruption and bureaucracy.  We reason that God does not establish them as authorities in our lives.  But alas, we reason ignorantly.  For God's Word is true.  Throughout the Old Testament, we see places where God did indeed use ungodly authorities to punish Israel for having turned from Him and His ways.

So is God punishing America today, by giving us two bad choices for president?  Maybe.  The truth is that I don't know.  God doesn't share such things with me.  But He has shared with me that it is possible.  He has shared with me the fact that He has acted in this way before.  And He has told me what to do about it.  I am to be obedient, submitted, and God-honoring in every way.  If the Lord has given me a vote, who am I to squander because I'm apathetic about the candidates?

So what should a good American Christ-follower do?  How should we respond to the unpleasant circumstances that we find ourselves in?  The first thing we should do is register to vote.  Make sure you have registered and are ready to exercise your legal right to vote.  Then educate yourself on the choices.  Maybe you don't like them.  But you owe it to God and to your fellow Americans to educate yourself on the merits of each choice.

 I'm on Facebook.  I watch TV.  I understand there are strong, passionate arguments for why Hillary Clinton can't be trusted or is "not a nice person."  I also understand those strong, passionate arguments that Donald Trump is a blowhard who believes his own lies.  Nevertheless, these are our choices.

We need to consider the fact that the powers that be - whether they be in the worldly realm or the spiritual realm - have given us these two choices.  A few short months from now, one of these two candidates will be installed as the most powerful leader in all of the free world.  One of them will lead the largest government in the history of the world.  

One of these two candidates will be in control of your future here on this earth.  And God says that it will have been His choice.  But He has nominated you to exercise your voice in the matter.  So consider the implications.  Get on-line.  Read comparison sights that compare and contrast the candidate's respective plans and points of view on the key issues of the day. 

National Leadership

I've been thinking about this for a while now. I am considering a potential run for President of the United States. You see, I am beginning to think that perhaps God has given me more insight into effective leadership than has apparently been bestowed on the rest of our nation's leaders in my entire lifetime. (Seriously!)

Consider the story of King Solomon in the Bible. He was the son of King David, whom God had called "a man after my own heart." Solomon was one whom God told he could ask for anything he wanted - and God would grant his wish. Being clever young man, Solomon asked God for wisdom. So God made him "the wisest man who ever lived." (That would include now, by the way.)

The Old Testament book of 1 Kings chronicles the story of Solomon rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. When it was finished, he held a dedication ceremony. In that ceremony, he prayed a very public prayer in front of the entire nation. Look at what Solomon asked God for on behalf of his nation:

1. God's presence (1 Kings 8:57)
2. Desire in the people's hearts to do God's will (1 Kings 8:58)
3. Help with the daily needs of the people (1 Kings 8:59)
4. Desire and ability of the people to obey God (1 Kings 8:58)
5. Victory in the causes (including wars) that God might call the nation to (1 Kings 8:44-45).

At this national assembly, Solomon finished praying aloud before his constituents. Then he turned to his people and said to them, "But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord, to live His ways and obey Him." (1 Kings 8:61)

What do you suppose it would be like if the U.S. President held a national assembly - a televised press conference - and prayed such a prayer? How would we react? More importantly, how might God react?

And how would the media respond if that President finished the prayer, and then turned to the people of the United States, saying something like, "Now, all of our hearts - including my own - must be fully committed to the Lord, to live life His way and to fully submit ourselves to and obey him!"

I suspect this kind of national leader could actually change America. How would he (or she) do so? By focusing themselves and the people of this great country on the solution ... instead of the problems.

Now I've been seeing these examples of national leadership in my Bible. I've been looking for them in American politics. They are not to be found. If they're out there, they are very good at remaining anonymous and obscure (which really means ineffective). So I wonder if God gives me this vision and this understanding for another reason. Maybe I'm not supposed to vote for this person. Maybe I'm supposed to be this person!

So I am beginning to imagine my inauguration. I would pray such a prayer. I would call the national to public and corporate repentance for the sins of our nation. I would ask everyone to find a good church and get committed to it with regular attendance, financial support, service, etc. I would set up a national web site for everyone to voluntarily register their agreement with me to go this direction. I would ask them to pray for Congress to repent and reform - changing their evil and foolish ways.

How about it? Do you think I have a chance to win the U.S. Presidency?

Sad Debate

Okay, I missed most of this week's presidential debate here in the U.S. However, I picked it up on late night talk radio and cable news television. Is anyone besides me sickened at the way both of our candidates are performing? When did it become wise to focus on discrediting your opponent? When did they each shift from talking about what they can do for our country --- and instead focus on talking about what the other would do to our country?

I'd like to be the moderator at the next debate. I'd know how to kill a cat fight. I'd make some rules and the first guy that slung some mud at the other would be bounced out of there on his ear! If the second guy acted smug about it, I'd bounce him out too - then turn to the audience and suggest that they write in the name of a candidate that they think can actually focus on the issues instead of on the faults of their opponent. This is really disgusting.

I think I might like to run for president of the U.S. myself. Certainly I could do a better job in three critical areas:

1. My tax returns, when made public, would reveal that my wife and I give more than 10% of our gross household income to the church and other Christian charities. (We are tithers, and do so in obedience to the God we claim to serve.)

2. When accused unfairly - or ask questions in a debate or town hall, I would specifically try to model Jesus' approach. He answered questions with as few words as possible. I would understand the beauty and the power in just "leaving it there" with simple, but truthful answers.

3. I heed the Bible's (and my grandmother's) admonition not to say anything if you can't say something good about someone. I would understand that the goal of my candidacy isn't to point out the faults of the opponent(s).

I'm now weighing the merits of announcing my candidacy for the presidential election four years from now. Stay tuned!