Imagine the President of the United States, along with every other elected representative, worked directly for you and you had the unilateral authority to hire and fire him or her. That is essentially the case for the United States’ representative democracy.
You, along with your family, friends, and fellow Americans, collectively decide who represents you in your state capital and nation’s capital. It is easy to let the importance and privilege of this reality slip by. However, many of us have not been taught the value of civic responsibility, and more of us still carry a not-unwarranted, jaded skepticism of the political powers that be. Fortunately, we have an opportunity to do something about the political leaders and processes that have left us wanting. The future of our country and of the culture rests in our hands.
We hire and fire America’s leaders by voting. We all have the opportunity to vote for local, state, and national leaders who manage our government. But what happens when we choose not to vote?
The answer is simple, we get a runaway country. In many ways America is running away from its founding principles. For decades many Christians have chosen to stay at home instead of getting involved in elections, and the results have been devastating. Nineteen trillions dollars in debt, hundreds of thousands of veterans not receiving the care they deserve for the sacrifices they’ve made,, abortions by the thousands every day, and the definition of marriage taken into the hands of nine judges in Washington D.C. The list goes on.
There is no doubt our country is in a downward spiral. To recover the Founders’ vision for America and truly make a difference in these issues, Christians must turn out and vote in masses. King David says in 2 Samuel 23:3-4, “When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.” Later on in verse six David says, “But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.”
Applying this specifically to Christians in America, we need to strive to elect righteous representatives and vote out those who have chosen not to pursue righteousness.
Some might ask, “What do I need to do to vote?” First, you need to register to vote. AFA Action is the governmental affiliate of American Family Association and provides the tools you need to register and make an informed vote. By clicking here, you will have access to AFA Action’s voter tools.
Another question that is often asked regarding voting is “Who should I vote for?” That is a much more complex question. The kind of values you hold determine who you vote for. If you are a Christian and develop your beliefs from the Bible, you should look for the candidate who aligns the most closely with the biblical values you believe in. For example, if a candidate says he or she believes marriage is between a man and a woman, that candidate would align with traditional, biblical values. If a candidate says he or she believes abortion is acceptable, that candidate would not align with biblical values. Paying close attention to a candidate’s past record is crucial. A candidate can say things you want to hear, but the real question is whether their voting record matches their rhetoric. For some good information on researching candidates and their records, check out this article
I want to encourage you to get involved and vote your values election after election. The time to turn America in the right direction is now. May the body of Christ arise and elect righteous men and women to lead our communities, states, and country.
