BLOGGING TOWARD SUNDAY…

Even as I wrote the title for this article, I got a little knot in my stomach.  I have to be so careful when dealing with this subject, careful not to offend those who don’t see things exactly as I do.  There is nothing about being a pastor that precludes me from having political opinions, but I am not as free as you are to express them in most contexts.  So I don’t…or when I do, the language is carefully considered.

I have political opinions, just like you have them, and the truth is that I vote for candidates from both major parties.  The way I decide on whom to vote for has a little  to do with the candidate’s character and a lot to do with the issues that are important to me as a Christian.  For me, being a Christian is a way of life, and in my voting, that means trying to determine what issues are important to God, then voting for the candidate who is in favor of what I believe God would want to happen.

That’s not as difficult as it might sound.  For example, I know from reading the Bible that God is concerned about our environment.  In Genesis, God made it clear that human beings are caretakers of all creation.  That is a sacred trust from God, and that leads me to believe that God is on the side of those who would, in sensible ways, make caring about clean air and water a priority.

Also from my study of the Bible, I know that God is concerned about the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the widows and orphans, so how candidates vote on those issues has to be important to me.  One of the most crucial things about following Jesus is learning to love what God loves.  St. Paul reminded us that it is possible for us to have the mind of Christ, and we get that by spending time with him in prayer and meditation…making that relationship our priority.  Once that happens, decisions get easier and choices become clearer.

Personally, I dislike election years because they are so divisive.  Maybe this year we can reduce the risk of that by majoring on issues we believe are important to God.  I hope so.  I pray so.

Filed under: Blogging Toward Sunday