People often ask me who I’m going to vote for, and as a Minister of the Gospel I’m rarely comfortable with that question. I believe my calling is to preach Christ and Him crucified—not to become a partisan Politico. Honestly, I can see how some Christians feel compelled to vote for the Democrats with their focus on poverty and social justice; and I can see how some Christians feel compelled to vote for the Republicans with their focus on the Right to Life and Judeo-Christian values.
Now that the election is over I am willing to say that I voted for John McCain and Sarah Palin. People on either side of the political isle will just assume my vote was related to abortion issues, or gay-right issues, or because of some sinister Republican alliance with Evangelicals. Such an assumption would be wrong-headed and misplaced. I am not a Republican and there is no such alliance. I am a believer in Jesus Christ and a student of the Bible. And I base my votes on my faith in Christ and my understanding of Scripture, not on searing and mostly false, divisive, fear-mongering political propaganda that oozes from both major parties.
My faith in Christ tells me to be non-partisan and non-political in my role as a Christian leader (He never spoke ill of the Roman occupation or of the unfair taxes levied against His culture in the first-century). Meanwhile my understanding of Scripture tells me that the job of government is not to provide for its citizens but to protect them—the essence of justice—not to provide jobs for citizens but to protect those who labor; not to provide homes for citizens but to protect the homes of its citizens; not to provide money for citizens but to protect citizens’ right to earn money. I did not vote for McCain because of his party affiliation but because I believed that John McCain would do the best job of protecting the citizens of our country—and that is precisely what the Bible says government leaders should do.
Despite my vote, my next president is Barak Obama. My understanding of the Bible insists that God has chosen him and that I should honor and respect him, for the Lord’s sake. God has made him the next president of the United States of America. God has placed him in authority over me and he will have my prayers. I don’t know what decisions he will make, what crises he will face, or what legacy he will build. Likewise I am puzzled by some of his political promises and past acquaintances. But he is my president and he will have my honor and respect.
Moreover, his election represents what I’ve been saying for years—that all Americans are indeed equal and that Race should no longer be used as a political football. Is there still bigotry and racism in America? Yes, but it is not mainstream and it will no longer suppress or oppress citizens of our great country.
Tonight John McCain, gracious in defeat, proved himself to be the great American statesmen that he is. The next four years will prove just who Barak Obama is—something I’m looking forward to finding out. In the meantime, I’m praying that all Christians will let their faith govern their politics rather than letting their politics govern their faith.
