Elevating the Election

In Proverbs 29, we can read about the idea that if you have righteous people in authority, operating righteously, then the people can be glad:
2When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
In verse 4, we see this:4The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

I think in these days that we are in need of good, solid government, with leaders who seek Godly wisdom.  The Bible encourages us to pray for our leaders, and I believe that we can be prayerful in the selection process.  Even walking into a voting booth and casting a ballot can be an act of worship, because we render all that we do for the glory of God.  So, I encourage you to vote today, and as I like to say, make prayerful and informed choices.  Our government cannot change the culture completely, but in these times when our Judeo-Christian principles upon which this nation were founded are being challenged, we must take steps to reverse the decline - and casting a ballot can be a seemingly small, but significant action.

Romans 13 outlines principles of government and the God-given authority under which it should operate.  Government is important, and I think that selecting our leaders is an important process that we should take seriously:
1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

This is it - it is Election Day 2014, an important day all across our nation, including the states within the on-air footprint of Faith Radio - Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.  All 3 of those states will be electing governors, 2 of them with races that polling data indicate could go down to the wire tonight.   Georgians will also be electing a new U.S. Senator in an open seat.

Alabamians will be selecting not only a governor, but an entire slate of statewide offices.  There are a host of local races, including the selection of Senators and Representatives.  Plus, there are 5 amendments on the ballot.  One was featured here on the program recently, that would prevent foreign law from being used in cases being heard and decided in Alabama courts.

In my column for River Region's Journey magazine in March of 2012, I wrote:

...I believe that Christians have a responsibility, as good citizens of our constitutional republic, to participate in the political process.

As we prayerfully and wisely consider our choices not only for President, but for other races and future elections, I think it can be helpful to determine just what qualities we are looking for in a leader. In fact, I jotted down some considerations that could be helpful in making our determinations about whom we will vote.

I thought it would be good on this day to just share the points on that checklist, that could be integrated today or in the future, with a few brief comments:

Who is this person? I said that I believe Christians have a higher responsibility to look beyond the media campaigns and find out something about the candidates’ background, their character, and their core beliefs.

Core philosophy.  I wrote that a person’s core philosophy is revealed through not only their statements, but also their track record.  Someone might have a clearly defined core philosophy, but it might contradict the values we hold.

Faith and the decision-making process.  I do think how a person’s faith informs and guides their decision-making is a highly important consideration. If a candidate is seeking Godly wisdom and is intent on making decisions according to principles consistent with Scripture, that can be highly influential to me.

Policy consistent with Biblical role of government. I believe that the Bible is clear that government is an institution established by God, responsible to maintain order and to punish evil, according to Romans 13.

Defense of the sanctity of life. I pointed out that you have people who embrace a dangerous dichotomy – saying they are personally opposed to abortion or want to see reduced numbers of abortions, but still adhere to their belief that a women has a right to choose. Then, there are people who say they are pro-life, but embrace a “check the box” mentality – paying lip service to the cause of life, without being advocates. I gravitate toward pro-life individuals who are champions for the unborn and promote policies that are consistent with the culture of life.

Religious liberties. We have to recognize that Judeo-Christian principles have formed a foundation for our nation, and when freedom of religion and freedom of conscience are being challenged, then the very foundations of our society are imperiled.

Leadership track record.  If someone is looking to be “hired” by the voters to do a job, I believe that experience counts. We are selecting leaders to govern, and the best speaker in the world may not possess the skill set to operate in the political realm. And, remember that just because someone might have a political philosophy that aligns with mine doesn’t mean he or she would necessarily be able to translate philosophy into productivity.

Those are just a few principles that you may want to consider today, and/or perhaps ponder in the future as you prayerfully and thoughtfully select our governmental leaders.