Why should I vote? Does it make a difference? What if I don’t like the choice of candidates?
From Scriptures to civics and family legacies, there are many reasons why it’s vital for Americans to vote.
Be salt and light — take part in the process
First, Scripture reveals what government should look like. The Bible tells us that God ordained civil government to be His servant for our good (Romans 13:1-4).
Conversely, when the government does not serve its God-given purpose, the nation tends toward corruption. The influence of Israel’s kings on the people’s behavior is a prime example. In Proverbs 14:34, we see that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
How do we take part in making a nation righteous? By being salt and light (Matthew 5:13). One of the ways people can be salt to flavor and even preserve the world is to influence who manages our government by participating in the election process and voting for people who share our biblical values. We should choose leaders who are “… capable men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain (Ex 18:21)”!
Unlike many Christians before us, Americans today have the ability to direct the course of the nation through our votes. Just as with any other good gift or talent from God, we are called to be good stewards. The blessing carries with it a responsibility.
In Matthew 25, the Master of the servant who has best used his talent says to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” As an American, your vote is one of your “talents”; it must be used wisely.
Looking outside of biblical references, elected officials determine laws that affect us — whether we vote or not — and those laws affect the ability for all of us to live out our beliefs.
Almost every week, a new headline illustrates that the actions of an elected government official — or someone who was appointed by an elected official — affect our freedom to live according to our faith. We live with the choices that are made in elections, and the best time and place to stop bad policy is at the ballot box on Election Day.
Even if there is not a great choice between the candidates, every vote can still slow the overall decline of our country. It takes patience and perseverance.
In recent years, many elections have been decided by the slimmest of margins. We only need to look at the March 2022 race for Attorney General in Arizona, where the winning candidate was decided by 280 votes! Or consider a U.S. House race in Iowa in 2020, where the margin of victory was a mere six votes! Those six people who voted made a huge difference in the future of their state. Such slim margins are even more common in local races. We can’t leave our future to chance. Every vote matters.
With much concern these days about election integrity, one fact remains. The only way to 100% guarantee that votes are not counted is to stay home. By staying away from the polls, voters willingly give up their power to impact their own lives and the lives of future generations.
It all comes down to this — voters impact future generations. Our children and children’s children are impacted not only by how we vote but also by our example.
The impact of our votes on the judiciary alone is sobering when one looks at Roe v. Wade and its reversal after nearly half a century of unconstitutional rule … and millions of lives lost.
We need only to ask ourselves whether, like our forefathers did before us, are we willing to devote our “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” to a legacy of liberty?
By arming ourselves with facts and testing those facts against prayerful reflection and biblical values, you can be assured that you have made informed choices and carried out your duty, regardless of the outcome.