Election Day Musings

I’m sitting at the church watching the RV’s come and go today - covered in election/political signs.  Each one is filled with young men and women trying to look serious and official while hiding their giddy excitement about being involved in something so much bigger than themselves.  

Whether you are Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Constitutional or Independent or whatever, as an American, you have the distinct privilege of participating in the governing process.  There is no precedent in Scripture to look to if you want to know “how to vote.”  In the First Century, the Church had no say in the governmental process and eventually became objects of its wrath.  It wasn’t until after 300AD that Christianity had any influence in the Empire.

Here is what I find interesting...the Church flourished and grew when she was oppressed and suffering.  Once she had influence and power in the world, she really stopped flourishing.  There were (and are) pockets of faith communities growing and thriving in healthy relationships, but those became less and less the norm.  

Even today, the Church in America is very visible and stable, but I wonder how truly vibrant and transformational she is.  I am constantly thinking about who much it DOESN’T cost me to be a follower of Jesus.  I wonder how much stronger my faith and my relationship with Christ would be if I needed it more.  

Living in America is a great privilege that I do not take lightly.  Yet, if I am honest, I must confess that such a great blessing can also serve as a my greatest curse.  I have never had my faith tested in such a way that my life truly depended on it.  I might never experience that living in America.  And so I wonder how strong my faith really is.  

This election day don’t forget to vote, but also take a few minutes and remember that we live in a society that makes it easy to be a Christian.  While this is great on some levels, we can never forget that Christ’s call of discipleship was a call to come and die.  While you might never face that reality in our culture today, don’t ever get complacent with your faith and your relationship with Christ.  Take time each day to stop and connect with God lest you forget that your relationship with Him is built on a bloody cross, not in a voting booth.