I vote based on who represents me the best. There is no one who can ever truly represent everything I stand for — I guess for that, I would need to run for office myself. Not going to happen. But considering my beliefs and convictions, I must vote based on this and not policy or oratory skills or personal preferences. So, what do I believe are the right responses to current situations?
In regard to the economy, the right response is humility and repentence of greed and discontentment. I know that I did not personally create the economic crisis we are in, but I do have personal responsibility to be content with the life God has granted me. Live simply. Work diligently. Give generously. I want to vote for someone who promotes these ideas.
In regard to helping the poor, God has called me and anyone who calls themselves a follower of Christ to heed to the needs of the poor. It’s not because He loves them more than everyone else. It’s because their need is greater. Whether I like it or not, whether it makes me uncomfortable or not, whether I think I have time for this or not, it’s what Christ has called me to. Therefore, I must respond. I want to vote for someone who wants to truly look to the needs of the poor, both in material assistance and in equipping people to live fruitful, abundant lives.
In regard to marriage, the Bible says God created man and woman in His image. His charge was for them to be fruitful (ie. reproduce). I don’t apologize for my belief that God has created family as the primary display of His love and that family begins with a man and a woman. I have great compassion in this area for reasons I won’t go into now, but believe me when I say I have walked with people who have struggled with their sexual identities. And as much as I am for these friends, my conviction is clear. I want to vote for someone who has these same convictions.
Lastly, in regard to the value of life, it is without hesitation that I believe that from conception to death, God has a purpose for all of us. On a personal note, I was born, left on the doorsteps of a police station, sent to an orphanage and later adopted. I do not know the circumstances of my birth mother, but I can only imagine that things were difficult. Difficult enough for her to leave her newborn baby to the care of strangers. And there is no doubt in my mind that she had the option to abort me. But she didn’t. I am alive because she chose to carry me to term. Again, I have great compassion on women who find themselves in challenging situations. But I do not waver in my conviction that life matters. This, to me, is a non-issue. I recently had a friend who gave birth to her fifth child at only 27 weeks. The baby is getting stronger and stronger every day. He has a beating heart, beautiful little eyes, tiny little hands that hold on to you finger, and he makes cute gurgling baby sounds that melt your heart. To imagine that someone thinks it’s okay to “terminate” even this life blows my mind. I cannot wrap my brain around it. I truly want to understand the other viewpoint, but I do not waver and do not apologize for this conviction. I want to vote for someone with this same conviction.
So, as a Christian, what is the right response to the issues of this election? Humility. Prayer. Repentence. Whatever happens in two days will pass in the books of history as just another chapter. But God’s call to His people, His church, is to live lives that supercede our society. To live lives that stand for righteousness and godliness, not political correctness and blind tolerance.
Help us, Lord!
April 25, 2009
milkinthecloset
Milk in the Closet 