Three Things Christians Should Remember When Voting
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
Not sure if any of you have heard about this, but we are currently in an election year. There are myriad options in front of us as we exercise our civil duties as residents of a city, a state and a country and often it can feel incredibly overwhelming to exercise them in Christ-honoring ways (Kyle Worley preached through Philippians 2 earlier this year on how to be a set-apart people in today’s political climate).
The tendency for some of us as the next week unfolds will be to eject completely, to check out of reality until everything is settled. While this is appealing, I think it also goes against what Jesus meant when he said we are to be in the world but not of it. With that caveat in mind, here are three things it might be helpful to remember this election season.
Vote for, not against: This one is pertinent to the current landscape. It’s imperative to remember that we are voting for issues and policies, not against our brothers and sisters. There are orange-haired signs on our street from both ends of the spectrum (don’t act like you haven’t seen them!), and when you go to the poll over the next week, it’s important to remember that these folks -- both of them -- are neighbors, not enemies. I am not casting a vote against these people but rather for the issues that I care about and I believe are close to the heart of Jesus.
Well, what does Jesus care about? This blog post is not long enough to list all of the matters close to his heart, but we need to be vigilant to not conflate what we view as democratic ideals with what matters to the Lord. Remember, we’re talking about a God who specifically chose to work through a people group who was broken, exiled and for much of its existence, powerless. Not exactly a preview of the American Dream. So as you think through and identify what you believe the Lord finds valuable in America in 2020, be careful to sort out what you think he should care about and what the Bible actually says he cares about (Matthew 5-7 would be a good place to start).
Your election is more important than the election: One thing I’ve noticed in recent weeks is how many of us are intent on declaring our identities through those aforementioned yard signs and Instagram posts. Identities are important because they are often how we communicate our loves to those around us, but I hope we remember Colossians 3:9-10 when it comes to our identity.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
All of our other identities flow from this single identity that we have been saved by grace to God the father. And while it’s impossible to go through life without aligning our identity with others in our culture, may these identities never usurp our primary identity, and indeed may all the others be uniquely influenced by that which is primary.
However you participate in the election this year, you should consider what the word of the Lord says about what matters in our world and try to align not just your politics but your loves with what the Lord loves.
Often we have to pray and submit ourselves into this as it often does not come naturally, but it is a worthy pursuit to align our loves with those of our God. Nobody is demanding perfection (or position papers) on your vote, but as Christ followers we should expect one another to pray for wisdom, to pursue empathy for one another and most of all to remember to prepare our hearts not for an inauguration in January 2021 but rather an eternal inauguration into the kingdom of God, for which there will be no end (Revelation 11:15).