At the end of the 2020 Vice Presidential debate, Brecklynn Brown, an 8th grader from Utah, received national attention when her question was chosen to be posed to Pence and Harris. Brown wrote,
"When I watch the news, all I see is arguing between Democrats and Republicans...citizen fighting against citizen….[and] two candidates from opposing parties trying to tear each other down. If our leaders can’t get along, how are the citizens supposed to get along?”
Her words highlight inadequacies from both parties and their nominees. Whether or not you choose to actively engage in politics, the reality is that we live in deeply divided times. Anyone can see this. I understand why we don’t want to accept this sometimes. These days, it seems the more I try to follow politics, the more my soul wants to run away. But as Christians, we should not live in fear and dissatisfaction. How can we wrestle around the dark reality of this world with the holy reality of God?
The imperfectness of our country and potential leaders highlights the brokenness in this world and our need for a savior. Luckily, we have God to turn to and as born again Christians, we are citizens of heaven. Huzzah! But this doesn’t necessarily mean we should ignore what happens in the world completely… As dual citizens of Heaven and Earth, we should strive to live as model citizens and part of that means participating in this election. In the bible, it says we should submit to the governing authorities that are put into power by God (Romans 13:1-7), and when there are unjust laws that go against God’s law, we should “obey God rather than men”(acts 4:19). Unfortunately, beyond that, Christians do not have a clear step-by-step course of action on how to participate in a democracy like the United States. Before I submit my own ballot tomorrow, I have spent some time dwelling on questions that no news report or debate can answer: How should my identity as a Christian inform my vote? And how can I honor God during this election?
To figure this out, we must turn to God in prayer and seek guidance from studying his word. This article that I am writing is not meant to argue for a certain party but encourage us to take a step back and reflect on Christ in the midst of everything going on in the world. Though the church and state may be separate, as Christians, we are called to do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). There are times where we will undoubtedly fall short, but nevertheless, the way we live our lives should ultimately stem from God’s word. Therefore, my vote can not be made without being informed by scripture, and I urge any of you who are still in the process of making a decision, that you make sure to make a choice that is supplemented by prayer and your biblical convictions.
When Voting, Take Jesus’ lessons to the Ballot
"My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared./" (Proverbs 3:21-26)
God is in control, but we are encouraged to pursue wisdom that comes from the Lord (Proverbs 2:6-8). Be intentional with your thoughts, avoid false teachings, lies, hate, and fear-driven choices. Cast your worries on to God and be reassured that He will always be working through whoever ends up in the office.
In the pursual of biblical evidence and the realities of political candidates, be sure to look at more than a few hot issues that affect Christians. It is important to look at the totality of the candidates and we must evaluate if their policies and conduct emulate the teachings of Christ. Do their actions reflect something Jesus would do? Will their responses bring God glory?
Spend more time diving into God’s word rather than fixating on news headlines and your frustrations. Surrender your choices to Him. After all, we are not who we are because we are “Trump supporters,” or “Team Biden”, we are first and foremost, Children of God. Our identity lies in our trust in Jesus and obedience in following his example.
For some biblically rooted thoughts on the subject of the election, I urge you to continue reading about bringing Jesus to the ballot in this article I wrote for YHWH Apparel at http://tinyurl.com/votejesus2020.
I have been spending the past three semesters working in the design team at YHWH Apparel to study the word, pray over, and come up with products that are sold to raise money to advance the mission of different ministries. To learn more about the items we make and our mission, you can check out our website http://www.yhwhapparel.com/
