It’s not Just Another Tuesday

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1

It’s no secret that most American citizens are frustrated with the current state of our government.  From the President, to Congress, to the State and Local Representatives, we are frustrated…

Recent Gallop polls have the U.S. Congress sporting a robust 14% approval rating.   I think Jesus had a higher approval rating among the Pharisees…

It goes with our culture though. We’re really good at not being satisfied.

We see. We don’t like. We judge. We complain.

Yet in every election cycle since 1964, the incumbent reelection rate has NEVER fallen below 85%, with most incumbents getting reelected 90%+ of the time.  It must be everyone else’s candidate who is the problem, not our representative right?

Well you have a chance to change that. Yes, Election day!

Many people say the church and politics should not mix, and while that’s arguably a difficult task in our culture, it was one Jesus Himself didn’t mix. Okay so maybe He told us to obey the laws of the land and to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s (Matthew 22). Outside of that He didn’t get wrapped up in politics of the time. Why?

Because He was too concerned with doing the will of His Father!

What a crazy idea! Less Politics, More Love, More Jesus!

Am I saying you should not vote? Quite the opposite actually….

Allow me to explain…

There are roughly 60 Million proclaimed Christians in America, and an estimated half of them don’t vote! That is 30 million unused votes from people who claim Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior.

Did you know that not one single election in the past 25 years has been won by more than 10 million votes?

Simple math tells me that the Christian Church has a significant amount of influence in the election but decides not to exercise their right and spends the next 4 years complaining about the inept-etude of the government.

I recall a fantastic teaching from John Piper that is the basis for which I vote. Piper advised that the church throw out all agenda, social issues, moral issues, resumes, qualifications, you name it!  Throw it out! Except for one qualification. 

“Vote for the candidate that gives you the best opportunity

to have a platform to share the Gospel. “

That's the only criteria he suggested we use, and I love it!

Piper’s justification was that for the most part the people we're voting for are not Christians* and certainly none of our political parties, even the ones Christian candidates belong to, align themselves with the ethics of Jesus’ Kingdom.

What if we spent our efforts loving others and spreading the gospel?. If we are successful in doing that won’t the social justice, moral, and ethical dilemmas we so tirelessly debate, take care of themselves?

God > Our Social justice issues + Moral Issues + Ethical Dilemmas

The point of the Great Commission is to make disciples. Point others to Jesus, not tell others how to live! Not to govern or to legislate their lives.

 Morality is not the point, Jesus is!

We read in Matthew 5, where Jesus calls us the Salt of the Earth and Light of the World!  

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:13-15

How are we being salt or light if we remain quiet, if we don’t vote, don’t have a say, or promote the platform that is best to fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28? We’re keeping the flavor and light hidden instead of using the canvas of this world to our advantage! We can’t let the earth lose its saltiness and become darker. We must be that Salt and Light!

I will vote and support the opportunity to best have a platform to share the Gospel and Love people! I hope you will too!

A Vote for Love Always Wins!

Be Salt… Be Light… Go Vote!

*There are some candidates who are vocal about their strong faith in Christianity, grounded in Scripture such as like Mike Huckabee, Alan Keyes, and Hermann Cain – to name a few of the bigger candidates from the past major election cycles. But that makes up a very small minority of candidates running for office.