Why it doesn't matter who I vote for... at least for my faith.

Why women shouldn't drive cars.

Women shouldn't drive cars because it is illegal for women to drive cars in Saudi Arabia. If someone from Saudi Arabia was here or in your presence you might offend them by having a female driver. So women should drive cars.There may be a really good reason for women not to drive cars. I don't understand all the reasons why that law was given, but I trust the law makers, and that it is generally good to follow laws. So women shouldn't drive cars.
But what about in other countries? Well it is a pervasive idea that women should drive cars, so for a better world we should steer clear of this one, and women shouldn't drive cars.

        Sounds ridiculous? Yup, because it is. As a Canadian, with absolutely no plans to go to Saudi Arabia, I do not need to worry about being a woman and driving a car.  But as a woman, and if I am interested in going to or moving to Saudi Arabia, I ought to consider that I won't be driving a car, and my behaviour might require some other adjustments too.

        As long as I have no plans on going there any obeying of their laws is accidental, and in by no means declaring that I am of Saudi Arabia. Even if I was to follow all their laws and customs, know their history and speak highly of Saudi Arabia. I still would not be a Saudi Arabian.

         Similarly, to demand that someone, who is not a Christian, live by Christian laws, will not work. God is interested in hearts, not actions. God is interested in adopting sons, not entertaining well behaved visitors. 

         Should I not be concerned about what non-Christians are doing? No. God calls us to love everyone, and that includes non-Christians too. And part of our obedience to what God has called to, has some really good things that make our lives better and we can share that with those who don’t believe. For example, children obeying their parents is something God teaches us, and children obeying their parents is something that can really benefit our unbelieving friends too.  God sends rain for both the sinner and the faithful, and the faithful one can stand there and declare that!

So, it doesn't matter who I vote for. Conservative, Liberal, Republican, Democratic. 

My faith is not evident or dependent on the way I choose to vote.

        As a Christian, I understand God's love for me and I accept His payment on my behalf, because I could never get by on my own, and receive salvation.  That is what makes me a Christian. 

       Out of that, out that understanding and love I choose to obey Him. To follow His laws and love who He loves is the outworking of my faith.  It is by that, that the world will know to whom I belong, and by that I can point the world to God.

          It is natural to want the world to fall into line and support our moral and godly character, but it is not necessary to being a Christian or even a community of Christians. It doesn't actually help, because our moral and godly character doesn't do anything in regards to salvation, that is the role of faith. But, demanding that others live by and support the same morals, despite them not actually believing what Christ has done, demands them to uphold a law to a country they don't belong to and are not planning on going to visit.

         So how does this work into voting? Well, it isn't simple.  In our democratic countries we are called to participate in government rather than simply obey.  It would be easy if God demanded that we respect those in authority that are Christian, but He tells we are to obey all those in authority. 

         And as long as we have a human in the government, we will not have a perfect government. 

         And until Christ sits on the throne our country will not easily agree to live by the same standard that Christ calls His bride to live to.

In the meantime we are left choosing between imperfect candidates and participating in imperfect systems. 

But above all, Christ has given a standard to live by.

        First, love God. 

This is between you and God, between the church and God. Love God. With every part of you.  Despite what the government is or will be, love God. 

       Then we can start asking question about the candidates we have to choose from. Will any of them prevent me from loving God? Will they prevent other from loving God? Will they force me to do something that is against me love for God? In North America we have a pretty good chance that our freedom to love God will not be hampered, and if it is, there is something in place that we can do about it.

        Second, love others. 

Because God loved us we love others.  We look out for the widow, the orphan, the stranger in our gates. And while those are the vulnerable people of a couple thousand years ago, we have plenty of vulnerable people to look out for. The single parent, the foster kids, the poor families, the immigrant, the illegal immigrant, the refugee, the sick, the disabled, the lonely, the young students, the…  We love them, because while we were still sinners Christ DIED for us.  

        So now we can start asking questions. Which candidate will help us love others better? Which one will help take responsibility for those who are vulnerable? Which one will provide jobs for the jobless, hope for those in poverty, security to those in danger, healing to those who are sick, education to those who need a step up, help to those in need, justice to the marginalized?   What is the best way to do that? I don't have the answer. Is national security important so that we can continue to have a safe country to live in? Is economic growth important for providing jobs? Is a competitive education system the best for encouraging academics? Is immigration a beneficial aspect to our society. Who need the tax breaks? How do people access government support? What role do I play in it?

Beware of deception, are the issues that catch your attention or turn you away something that that candidate can actually do something about?  Can a student elected student president actually make every Friday of the school year a holiday? What is realistic? Is a policy addressing a specific issue working towards a solution or simply reacting to a problem? Are policies actually getting to the root of the problem? Are we trying really hard to place heavenly laws on those who aren't planning on going there.

    Our choice in government is not the only place where our love for others ought to be evident. It should work into our everyday lives and most importantly in our interactions with people we see everyday. But now and then, God gives us the opportunity to look a little bigger, and consider the nations we belong to on earth.

And for HEAVEN'S SAKE, don't take what is legal or illegal on earth as what God requires! The church ought to stand out drastically from what the world says, because our citizenship is not of here, but of heaven, and our laws are not earthly laws. As a church, let us not be consumed with the world wandering away from just acting like good Christians (their hearts probably left a long time ago) and be concerned about the hearts of believers.  Let us make disciples, and raise up a church that stands out and points to God because of our love and hope. And for the world that is wandering away, we need to pray for them, and reach out to them with the hope of Christ. 

Whatever comes, in life or in death, is sickness or health, in wealth or poverty, in security or danger, liberal or conservative, democratic or republican, I will live for Christ.