We hear it every four years, and sometimes every two years: “This is the most important election in our lifetime! We need to get out and vote.” Are we exaggerating? Are we working ourselves into a frenzy when nothing really changes? Are we putting too much stock in politics? Yes and no.
On the one hand, politics is not the gospel and the president is not the Messiah. That means that there’s only so much our elected officials can do. The soul of our nation cannot be transformed by politics alone. The spirituality of our nation cannot be shaped by politics alone. The hope of our nation cannot be birthed by politics alone.
On the other hand, America was heading in one distinct direction under President Obama, and it’s heading in a distinctly different direction under President Trump. In that sense, you better believe that politics matters. You better believe that these elections are important. You better believe that our votes make a difference.
That’s why liberal groups like Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign are pulling out all the stops to get pro-abortion and pro-LGBT activist candidates elected. And that’s why conservative groups like the FRC are doing their best to mobilize their voting base. That’s why the media, on both sides, are doing their best to influence voters. They know the stakes are high. Very high.
Many things in America today would look very different if Hillary Clinton rather than Donald Trump were president. Just think for a moment: If Hillary was president, Merrick Garland, rather than Neil Gorsuch, would likely be sitting on the Supreme Court. And if she was president, she would have nominated the polar opposite to Brett Kavanaugh. It’s also very likely that our current president will nominate one, or even two more justices during his first term.
The frenzied, unprincipled opposition to Kavanaugh indicated just how important elections can be. A lost seat here or there would dramatically turn the tide and significantly shift the balance. The consequences are huge.
If Hillary was president, our embassy in Israel would still be in Tel Aviv, we would not have put our foot down with the Palestinian Authority, and the words “radical Islamic terrorism” would still not have been uttered. If Hillary was president, some of our most important religious freedoms would be threatened rather than protected, and the pro-abortion culture would be reinforced rather than weakened.
Who we elect locally, as well as to Congress, makes a massive difference on many fronts in our nation. So, while it’s true that politics is not the gospel it’s also true that politics greatly affects the world we live in.
It’s estimated that 35 million of America’s 90 million evangelical Christians did not vote in the 2016 election. Since voter turnout always drops off for midterm elections, it’s very possible that even more than 35 million Christians will choose to stay home — unless they are motivated and equipped to use their voice through their vote. Do you think that candidates who advocate for abortion, the aggressive LGBTQ agenda or think people of faith should keep their beliefs out of the public square would be elected if 35 million more Christians voted? I doubt it.
Every American should cherish the right to vote. The best way to do this is to practice that right! If Christians are to protect the principles we hold most dear, we must faithfully vote. Otherwise, those who believe differently — very differently — win by default.
But we should not serve the donkey or the elephant; we should only serve the lamb. And therefore, we each must humbly seek God for wisdom and love as we consider the difficult problems in our nation and as we vote.