Thoughts on Voting Responsibly

If you know me, you know I hold to a biblical worldview. However, my thoughts here reflect a *method* or process that while geared toward Christians is one I believe can be adapted to anyone.

Let’s be clear; we aren’t voting for a savior. There’s only One and He’s not up for election. That’s a fact. Done ✅

While morals matter, neither candidate this year is more or less moral than the other. That’s a fact. ✅

Both have failed on many accounts, just as you and I have. Also a fact. ✅

So, what are we to do?

I believe that the mature and responsible way to vote (or actually to come to any critical decision in life) requires a thoughtful, prayerful and succinct method or process such as the following:

1. Put your *emotions* aside and look at the issues. Do your homework; research *facts*— somewhere other than social media and cable news.

2. Take both men off their platforms and look closely at the policies they represent, side by side. Look at the policies from a *biblical* worldview (if you’re a Christian you should have one), and pray for discernment. Which policies align with God’s heart and which do not. What does God’s Word say in regard to any of the policies at vote. That is the truly critical way to think and reason about this election.

3. Look at ALL the issues before us and policies associated with them. There’s much more to this election than pro-choice/pro-life, ACA, and taxes…so much more. Examine it all, without partiality.

4. Be wise and careful not to interpret issues and policies based on your emotions and feelings alone. Zeal without knowledge is dangerous (Proverbs 19:2). Just as we want Supreme Court Justices to form their *opinions* based on the facts of the U.S. Constitutional Laws (and not their personal feelings), we, too, should make decisions that are informed and influenced by what is true. Not by what we are emotionally charged about.

5. Consider the candidate in context of the people surrounding him. Who’s on his team?

6. Seek God’s guidance by looking at biblical history and who God has used and how God has moved in the past. For instance—read the books of Judges, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Daniel and others; look at the number of less-than-perfect men (and women) God chose to use for His purposes— both for the good and for the disciplinary action of His people. Neither man running for President is perfect- (and remember, again, that we are not electing a Savior- already got the One and only). God can use either man on the ballot and in His sovereignty, He will use the one He chooses to use. In the end— it’s His sovereign decision.

7. Pray and keep on praying—before, during and after this election…pray for the President of the United States.

Finally— ask yourself if your life has been personally impacted negatively in the last 4 years of the current administration? And ask others you know if their lives have been negatively impacted and in what ways? Have there been any improvements or benefits to your life and that of others in the past 4 years— and in what ways? What have you lost and what have you gained? What do you stand to lose, and what do you stand to gain if the other candidate is elected?

We live in the most highly privileged country in the world. We are not perfect and have certainly erred in many ways. Nevertheless, we are tremendously privileged as is evidenced in our many freedoms and in the great numbers of people who flock to our nation every year to become US citizens and enjoy these same freedoms. No other country has as many foreigners coming to their country as the United States of America. And one of the greatest privileges we’ve been given is the privilege and the right to vote.

Therefore, we have a responsibility to vote— and to vote responsibly. To decide to vote for one candidate or the other simply because you don’t like the other one is irresponsible; and not to decide *is* actually to decide.

So vote responsibly. Not emotionally.

I love y’all!
xo– P♥️🇺🇸