To Christians trying to find their election footing
Donald Trump’s victories have left many Christians trying to determine how or if they are going to vote. Many do not like what is considered Trump’s abrasive personality, others are questioning his commitment to Christianity. In fact, many of the same back and forth reasonings are taking place about this election as in the past. Keep in mind that one of the primary reasons we have had two terms of an Islamist Marxist as “president” is due to Christians sitting out the election. Over-spiritualizing this election can multiply the results of the past 10 years. Sitting on the sidelines and allowing another “progressive” to hold the oval office will have dire consequences. Forthcoming, is a hard word for your consideration.
Some blame the choice of candidates for not wanting to vote. Frankly, Christians have been disengaged in the candidate selection process since the Reagan years, when we were very active locally in choosing good candidates. Instead of seeking self-improvement inside the four walls of the church, another route may be to engage outside the church in our communities. This may result in having a say in the type of candidate who runs for office. Notwithstanding, people may be wising up to how candidates woo Christians at election time with nice “Christianese” words, hoping upon hope that citizens will overlook their ineptness in office. In the past it has worked. Maybe not this time.
Politico writes of the Nevada caucuses, “For the first time in the 2016 primary season, media entrance polls showed that a majority of voters, 57 percent of Nevada caucus-goers, said they were “angry” with the federal government. And, as significantly, they want to bring in an outsider to fix it. More than three in five caucus-goers said they favor someone from outside the political establishment rather than a candidate with political experience as president.” Let us remember that God uses whom he uses. Cyrus, for example, was open to God’s plan and was able to get things done that God’s own people were unable to do. That’s not to say that its OK to choose evil over good when we have the choice. But we do have a choice and as Christians we should exercise that choice wisely. I know this is a hard word, I’m just the messenger.
Candidates who have spent their lives in politics, holding elective office, are part of the problem. In reality, there has been no EFFECTIVE opposition by any of the office-holding candidates to the things that matter most to Christians. Lip service, yes. Effective action, no. So now, when they want your vote, they come by with all sorts of evangelical words designed to con your vote. Candidates say, for example, they stood in the gap for God’s plan of traditional marriage when, in reality, they did nothing effective. They are not leadership quality if they couldn’t step out and truly stand on their convictions, but want to make you think they did. Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Don’t go by what they say. Look at what they’ve done, or just as importantly, haven’t done.
