By Steven Norris 

 

     We are less than a week away from one of the most contentious election seasons in recent memory. Many have already cast their ballots. Others may still be weighing their options. Wherever you are, I would like to offer some pastoral advice for Christians over the next week (though I believe that many of these apply to those of other faiths as well). When deciding how you might cast your ballot, consider this:

     Character matters. Who you are on the inside determines what you do on the outside. Jesus said that you could identify a tree by its fruit (Matthew 7:20). He was very clear that “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). Jesus said that we would ultimately be judged by the way we treated the most vulnerable among us (see Matthew 25:31-46). Whether we are talking about the candidate for president all the way down to the candidate for coroner, character is vitally important.

     Policies matter. The values and convictions that we use to govern ourselves are an essential part of our discernment process as it relates to voting. The scriptures teach us, “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, we find injunctions like this one: “The Lord detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him” (Proverbs 20:23). The tricky thing for people of faith is that one party does not have a monopoly on “Christian policy.” Each party reflects some aspects of Christian teaching while rejecting or ignoring others. We must use discernment to weigh these tensions and vote accordingly.

     It is important to remember as one pastor put it, “The political process, while necessary, has little to do with how God is saving the world.” Jesus did pretty well ushering in the Kingdom of God without Rome’s endorsement. In fact, Jesus unmasked much of the political system of his day for what it really was: a greedy human quest for power. He undermined it with a servant’s heart.

     We must not forget that Tuesday’s outcome does not change our calling to follow the Great Commandment: to love God with everything that we are and to love our neighbor as ourselves. It does not permit us to abandon the Sermon on the Mount or any of the ethical teachings of Jesus. He said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

     Finally, you should absolutely vote your conscience and your convictions, recognizing that others will do the same. Your conclusions may differ. However, our connection as brothers and sisters in Christ supersedes any other difference.

     This coming Sunday (and the Sunday after that), we invite you to join us for worship, regardless of how you cast your ballot. Our commitment is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. We will gather around the table to remember the Lamb that was slain for the sins of the world. When the service is concluded, we will get busy with the most important work of this season: serving our neighbor and loving others in Jesus’ name.