As Super Tuesday unfolds, and as the remaining primaries approach, Republican voters are being subjected to an onslaught of political rhetoric and rationale. One of the prominent challenges is the admonition to vote for the candidate who is most likely to defeat the Democratic incumbent. However, there is a larger issue at work for people who claim to be followers of Christ.
Too many of God’s people, for too long, have chosen to act based on pragmatism rather than principle. We are so inclined to ask, “what will work best,” rather than “what will reflect God best?” As God’s chosen people (Ex 19:5-6; 1Pet 2:9), we are expected to take actions and make decisions in all of life, including elections, that best and most accurately reflect His concerns and priorities. That was a major point Ken Connor and I emphasized in our book “Sinful Silence.” Those outside the Household of God are supposed to be able to draw accurate conclusions concerning God based on our values, priorities, and behavior.
God places a high value on human life, so we should do the same and vote for a candidate who best reflects that conviction. God places a high value on justice as He defines it, so we should do the same and vote for a candidate who best reflects that conviction. God places a high value on the family as He established it, so we should do the same and vote for a candidate who best reflects that conviction. And as we do, the world gets a truer glimpse at the heart of God.
Sadly, all too often we are inclined to act based on our pursuit of a perceived likely outcome—but doesn’t Hebrew 11 teach us that we should act based upon God’s command and desire rather than upon potential eventualities? Each of those heroes of faith acted based upon their commitment to the Lord, not upon an anticipated outcome—and for some, the outcome was not pleasant at all; but that wasn’t what drove them. They were pursuing something far greater than earthly pleasure, financial gain, or political success.
Obviously, political pundits outside the family of faith can’t conceive of such a notion, and we shouldn’t be surprised if we are ridiculed for living our lives accordingly, but we are called before the Lord to live by this principle…and then we trust God for the results. If a person believes one candidate reflects the Lord’s priorities better than another, that person is duty bound to vote for such a candidate, regardless of popularity or even political party. We are not Democrats or Republican or Independents first, we are His people—a people who should decide based on the principle of Who God is and what He desires, not pragmatism.
And just a post-script reminder—as we make those decisions, we are compelled to act lovingly and graciously toward those who come to different conclusions about the candidates; again, people will draw conclusions about God based upon our behavior.
In case anyone is interested in the Kindle version of “Sinful Silence” here is the link:
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