Your Influential Ballot

As a concerned citizen of this great nation, and more importantly, as a citizen of the kingdom of God, I believe it to be vitally important where the candidates running for public office stand on certain issues, especially those relating to God and morality. I know that many people vote for the candidate that best assures them financial and national security. These are important, but are they the MOST important? I think not.

William Crawford was pretty put out with his two sons. He was running to retain his seat on the central committee of the Erie County (Ohio) Democratic Party. He and his challenger, David Giese, got exactly the same number of votes – 43 each. Now here’s the hang-up. Crawford has two sons, both eligible to vote for their dad, but neither of them bothered to cast a ballot. Andy is a college student who lives at home with mom and dad, and Jim lives just across the street from the family home. They simply chose to skip the election. Who knows why? When you think about it, it’s not really that big a deal. The fate of the republic was not at stake here. But it does illustrate the fact that we complicate our own lives and those of others by being disconnected and careless. Apathy is a terrible thing. I guess Jim and Andy had no idea they would put their father’s position in jeopardy by failing to show up to vote. I’m sure there was no conspiracy to take down their father. It was simple negligence fostered by the common idea that one person just doesn’t make all that much difference. I wonder if Eve thought that. Aren’t you glad Noah didn’t think that way? What about Jesus? When Paul left Jerusalem to evangelize the Gentile world, did his efforts make a difference? I know that the phrase “make a difference” is so cliché these days, but you will almost surely have a decision to make today that may seem small or inconsequential to you, but may have long term, even eternal consequences that could affect you and others around you. Don’t sell yourself or your influence short. An old preacher was once heard to say, “God has cast his vote for you to be saved and to live in righteousness, joy and peace. The devil has cast his vote for you to share hell with him. It’s a tie, and you will cast the vote that decides the election for your eternal seat.”

[Deuteronomy 8] Moses spoke: “...Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes... lest when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God... Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you power to get wealth... And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.” God will not Bless America while His Word is being abandoned through legislation that approves the shedding of innocent blood. God cannot Bless America while there are those who are seeking the dismantling of the home – the very backbone of society. Read 2 Kings 21, to see what happened to Judah when God and His Word were removed from the country. I can assure you that if we continue to ignore the issues before us that have pushed God aside there’ll be no bright future to look forward to in America.