November 3, 2006

Involvement in the political process often leaves us with a somewhat sour taste in our mouths, yet it is, as we often say, a necessary evil. Sifting through campaign promises is unavoidably wearisome and sorting through the entanglements of corruption and scandal can leave us disheartened and disillusioned. But if we who are being given the mind of Christ withhold His influence through us from the social processes into which God’s hand has place us, shouldn’t we expect symptoms of spiritual deterioration to increase? Would we dare assume that if, as vessels of honor into which the Holy Spirit of God pours His godliness, we were to hoard His bounty of grace, that the end result can be anything but ungodliness?

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5 KJV). “For God, Who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One Who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NAS).

No… if we are to be “salt” and “light” in a world gone mad, then we must lay hold of the mechanisms for impact that have been entrusted to us. The foundations for these are prayer, as we avail ourselves of the personhood and power of God Himself, and the reading of His Word as we seek to know Him intimately. The practical application then of His life in us is godly character revealed in how we live and even in how we vote. Although democracy as a governing system in the world of the early Church was nearly unheard of, one thing we can definitely say about living in one today is that we may wield our God-given influence through the exercising of our voting powers as we reach for policies which are right, just, and holy (in every social situation that we can think of, from the lives of unborn children, to God-ordained parameters on family relationships, to gambling, to matters of war and peace).

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV).

So let us not lose our opportunities to make a difference through neglect and let us not squander them by giving in to selfishness, pride, and/or hate. A vote cast from my hand may by itself seem to make little difference in the landscape of the political world and perhaps there won’t be any visible impact of my ever having voted at all, but I nonetheless seek the approval of my Lord Himself Who sees everything and knows every heart. He knows whether or not I’ve buried my opportunities in the sand or used them to the best of my ability to please Him and do His will here on earth (see Matthew 25:21 & 23).

If we as God’s people together can stand and use our votes in unison, joined with one heart and mind in the pursuit of the Kingdom of God being realized on earth, then good can indeed overcome evil in this temporal sphere.

But before God can get a hold of our electoral process, He must first get a hold of us. This is where “revival” has one of its most visible impacts. When there is “revival”, the return of God to the place of first love of our lives, suddenly our little choices begin to collectively make big differences. They begin to produce the evidence of Christ-mindedness on a large scale, shaping (dare I say it?) our values, public policies, political processes, and cultural trends.

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).

A godly people will have a godly government. Please note that I did not say “a perfect government”, nor do I imply that fallen human nature doesn’t manifest itself on occasion: where human hearts are gathered, human hurts and human hates will at times rise up against God’s grace. Nevertheless, when the love of God’s people is fanned to a genuine passion, the pursuit of His perfect will crowds out our tendency towards pretension and self-will.

But again, what happens in our election depends on our attitude towards God’s lordship in our lives. If we give Him room to work in our hearts, and to shape our choices as we cast our ballots, we will see our society gravitate towards justice, compassion, reconciliation, and hope. But if we use our ballots in ignorance or in selfishness, we drift towards destruction – in our courts, our workplaces, our schools, our centers of worship, and our homes.

Yes, your vote is yours to cast. It reflects your values, your priorities, and the things you treasure most. It is a tool to indicate what you choose for not only yourself but for those dearest to you as well as generations to come. Into your hand has been delivered the means to shape the future – so choose well. “If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15 NIV).

(Thom Mollohan and his family have ministered in southern Ohio the past eleven years.  He is the pastor of Pathway Community Church, which meets on Sunday mornings at the Ariel Theatre.  He may be reached for comments or questions by email at pastorthom@pathwaygallipolis.com).