Thoughts on the Election

One of the core values at our new church is RISK. They firmly believe if we as a church are not taking risks to get the Word out, we're not doing our job. (I'm pretty sure this is the first LCMS church I've ever heard speak like that...it's so encouraging!...anyway...I digress...) Yesterday they had a RISKy service: How would Jesus vote? Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely HATE politics (politics in the goverment, politics in schools, politics in church...I hate it all). So I was VERY nervous and anxious about how this service was going to go...especially given that people in this neighborhood relate political parties to religious affiliations, the two most heated things anyone could ever think to talk about. I trust our church. I wasn't so much worried that I wasn't going to like what they had to say...I was most worried that they were opening up the floor for questions from the congregation--and I was really worried that people were going to skip the questions and just start the ranting. I really didn't want to go...

But I'm glad that I did. I learned so much--GREW so much--MATURED so much from going. It was such a blessing! So I want to step WAY outside of my comfort zone and the safety of my "box" and publically share what I learned (forgive my rambling and jumpiness...I learned so much it hasn't fully had time to organize itself in my head!):

Our presenter/question-answerer was Dr. Tim Saleska, one of the few seminary professors that earned Jon's respect, whose expertise is focused in the Old Testament. He talked about a LOT of stuff, and I'm going to do my best to rehash (correctly) what he said. I can't really remember how the conversation started, but the first thing I wrote down was the difference of the two kingdoms in this world: God's kingdom vs. man's kingdom. In the OT, the kingdom of God was on the surface. It was visible. God led his people and He made things happen (like parting the Red Sea, etc.) But then God's people got disobedient. They fell into exile, which meant they were under the rule of other men. And sometimes during those periods of exile, the church wasn't so visible. When Jesus came, he brought it back to the surface. "The kingdom of God is among you." All of God's promises to Israel were fulfilled in Christ. But until Christ comes back again, God's kingdom isn't going to be visible. Christians are caught living in the tension of being under the rule of man's political powers. Sometimes, like during the exile times of the OT, the kingdom seems hidden...sometimes, through the fruit in our lives, it is more "on the surface."

2nd point: I believe that God rules ALL things, but exercises his control with 2 "arms" (see Psalms 95-100) With his right arm, he rules the church with Christ as the center...we bring people in by preaching His Gospel and showing His grace and love. With his left arm, He rules the secular realm (including secular things like family, marriage, vocations, callings). God gives us gifts so that we can help each other. This is also where the government falls into place. Government was created by God so that we can have help living out our lives. And in Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus makes it pretty clear that we are to "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's..." Jesus can work through goverments--good and bad--to bring about His will. (this was a hard reminder for me to swallow.)

He went on to frankly say that we don't know how Jesus would vote (party-wise or even type-of-goverment-wise...after all, in Jesus' day, he was living under a totally different form of govt that we are!)

So how should WE vote? A lot was talked about, but specifically, we should vote by thinking about what our moral vision is. What lenses do you look through to make your decisions? What candidate best matches that? Also, I thought it was very telling that Dr. Saleska made a point to warn us not to vote based on how a candidate campaigns or the ads that they put out. Those are not acurate indicators of how their presidency will go. Rather, we should look at who has integrity, morals, a good past record of leadership, and good people-relating skills.

But, you might ask, what if I don't like either candidate? Dr. Saleska made a good analogy: if you are invited to a wedding reception, and your only choices for dinner are pork and salmon, but you don't really like either option, you still need to eat, so you make a choice for the "lesser evil." There is no perfect candidate. Every person is sinful. Every person is going to make mistakes. But we have such a blessing in this world to have the right to vote. In history, there has never been a time like this before. And your vote DOES! count!! So please, even if you're not sold on one candidate, get out there and read up on these candidates, what their policies REALLY say (not just what they are advertising!), and make a thoughtful decision. And be involved!

So this is the point in my post where I'm really jumping out there: I voted for McCain. For me, it came down to this: I have been extremely saddened by the blatant lies of Obama and company. If he is going to lie during the campaign, what is he going to do as a President? I don't want to give him the chance. I've also lived in IL where he has had a chance to show his leadership--let me tell you, it hasn't happened. He is so caught up in the publicity of it all that he fails to lead with humility and use his position for the general welfare of the people of IL. And my moral vision does NOT include further legislation being passed that allows the murders of more babies. I once heard him say at a rally that if either of his two daughters makes a mistake that he doesn't want them to have to be "PUNISHED with a CHILD." His words. Not mine. I think it speaks volumes to my heart about where his heart is. And I pray that God will spare us from his leadership as president of the United States.

But this is where my moral vision matched up with the candidates. It may not be yours. And I can't make a decision for you, much less influence you with my own decision. You have your own moral vision and lenses through which you make your decisions...and I encourage you to take a look at more than just the TV ads and campaigns to do so BEFORE TOMORROW!

Thanks for listening as I took a giant step "out there." This is still one of the toughest things in the world to talk about. (I think it's perhaps even a bit more frightening than witnessing!), and quite possibly the most intimidating topic I've ever written about.

But I do want to end on a good note--the note that took the most "growth" on my part: Overall, we must remember that our Lord reigns over all things. We are ultimately in God's hands. We must obey God, trust in His promises, and continue to live a life loving Him. No matter what happens, God is still in control.