What Happens November 4th?

I am looking at my absentee ballot with indecision and not a small amount of  nausea. I am one of the very few undecideds at this late point. I guess it’s because I don’t see a clear path to unity with either of these candidates.  I don’t see a good or peaceful outcome no matter which way this goes. It is no longer about trying to figure out who the  “better” candidate is, for me. I don’t have a lot of faith that  either can unify us. It’s not even about picking the “better” party, which is usually a good voting strategy.

It’s about who can stop the hate and the violence, the social unrest and the out of control news media, and the social media….. all spewing anger and negativity. It’s about who can stop the hate from  the politicians, the pundits, the media, the populace.

Ben Franklin said…This Republic is yours if you can keep it. And sadly, I’m not sure either of these candidate can help us do that.

 Because it is not either of their fault,  it is not in their control to fix. 

Let’s Do Our Part

It is ours to fix. Our decision to embrace civility and respect for each other. Our decision to listen, to love, to hear one another. To not always be on the attack. And not always be on the defense, either. Sometimes, we just have to be okay with disagreeing. It is not the end of the world. But for many, it is the end of a friendship or familial relationship. 

It’s our decision not to take as fact  every word  the media spits out with their bottom line always the impetus. 

We listen to the crazy or unsubstantiated things said on TV or the internet  or wherever we get our ‘news’ and we think these things are true, never considering the motivation for saying them. It’s easy to forget that each media outlet is a business, and so the primary motivation is always going to be the bottom line.
And conflict sells.

Let’s face it, it’s fun to watch people you agree with talk about current events and politics and root for the side you are on. It’s actually more like entertainment, though, not  true, factual, unslanted news. We get our daily doses of this ‘infotainment’  in all its forms…newspapers, websites, TV news, podcasts, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and all the rest, then we walk around all day with our heads filled with combative words and unsettling thoughts and we wonder why we feel agitated, hopeless, depressed.

This is the first time I was actually considering not voting. It seems so pointless, when we know there will be an uproar no matter what the results are.  I don’t want to be a part of all the ugliness. I can’t imagine things getting better. No matter who wins.

Our Civic and Spiritual Duty

But, my conscience insists I must vote. Hold my nose and vote for one of two extremely flawed candidates? Vote 3rd party?  Write in? I’ll do one of the above, I guess. But it will not be a vote of confidence. I heard one man say “I’m not a Republican or a Democrat I’m a Christ-ocrat. He is the one in charge.”  I love that! Sure wish He was on the ballot. I think hearing that  gives me some direction, though. It occurred to me recently, that just like everything else we do, we can vote prayerfully. We can consult God and our conscience, which is informed by the Holy Spirit if you are a Christian.

My husband also pointed out, if you are a Christian, then you don’t need to worry. We will be okay either way if our trust is in Him.

This is a comfort for sure. We are in the throes of yet another election year, and it’s easy to get caught up in all the nuttiness. But it is a little like playing a game of chess with a chess master. You can make all these clever little moves, pawn here, rook there, protect your queen….but, ultimately, the master is probably going to win. He can counteract any move you make because he is trained to think 4,5 or 6 moves ahead.

Not unlike God with our world. He is already on the other side of this election. He is working hundreds of moves ahead of us. He is ultimately, like the chess master, in control of the game. We definitely need to play our part, make wise decisions, tend to our civic responsibilities and follow God’s lead.

It’s All About Perspective

We can make things much easier on ourselves if we listen and obey Him. And we are definitely responsible for doing the right thing. Which in this case is…voting. Prayerfully, considering all factors; intelligently…making an informed, not an emotional decision. If you are a Christian and still undecided, put it before God. This is what I plan to do.

Respect the process, respect the results, respect the office of the presidency, no matter who gets in. 

And honestly…zoom out. If you look at the big picture, the Really Big Picture, this election is very small potatoes. On a grand and eternal perspective. For the time that you have left on this earth, which is no more than about 50-60  years for anyone reading this, this election is a blip on the radar, and we really need to be focusing on bigger and more important things.

Like what? Like honoring God’s greatest commandments; Love God and love one another… by treating each other well, helping those in need, using our strengths and talents to make the world a better place for someone else. For more thoughts on this click here Out of the Shallows – Love One Another and here What’s Your Covid-19 Story.

Christian, Are You Up For the Challenge?

So, what happens November 4th? Well, it’s up to us.

Three suggestions from the pages of Scripture:
1) As Christians we are called to not worry about anything, but to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6).
2) We are called to make every effort to live in peace with others ( Romans 12:18).
3) We are called to listen more than we talk, and to be slow to anger (James 1:19).

We have our work cut out for us, to be sure. But think of the benefits to society if every follower of Jesus tried to do these three things. A worthy goal.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
-Paul, in Romans 12:18