A Vote of Confidence

This post is a part of the Five Minute Friday link up. We write for just 5 minutes without heavy editing and see what happens. Today’s prompt is “vote.”

When I was in junior high school, I ran for Student Body President. I’m not sure what I was thinking because I wasn’t one of the popular girls. And you know that’s what you had to be in order to win.

I don’t remember what my platform was, or if I even had a platform. But I remember some of my posters: “For Pete’s Sake, Vote Stephanie Allan for President!” and then this cute little bird that my artist sister drew in the corner saying “Who’s Pete?”

Clever, right?

Well, as you imagine, I didn’t win. I don’t even remember who won, but I think it was a guy. Go figure. This was the 70s after all. Feminism hadn’t made its way down to the junior-high level yet.

I’m not bitter. But the loss certainly didn’t do anything for my flagging confidence. Junior high (now known in most places as middle school) is tough enough without having poll proof that you don’t have enough friends.

In just a few days, America will hold an election of pretty great importance. Early voting numbers have set records in some places. Honestly, I don’t have confidence in either major party candidate. But I voted, and I didn’t vote for who was most popular, unlike any school election I’ve ever seen.

But this I know, my confidence is not in my government. Boy would I be in bad shape if it was. My confidence is in my Creator. The God of the universe who raises up kings and brings down kingdoms. No matter who wins this particular election, my eternal salvation is not at stake. I will continue to know nothing before you except Christ and Him crucified as Paul said to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:2.

So yes, do your civic duty and go vote. But put your vote of confidence in Christ.

With Liberty and Justice For All

By now, everyone has probably heard about a couple of things: the shooting by police of a black man in Louisiana and the escape from prosecution for one very privileged white woman who also happens to be running for President of the United States.

It appears that justice was not served in either case.

Granted, I wasn’t in on the FBI investigation, nor was I present when Alton Sterling was shot, but sometimes appearances aren’t deceiving.

From what FBI Director James Comey said, the evidence they found while investigating Hillary Clinton would be enough to warrant charges in many other cases. She was extremely careless and could very well have caused secrets to be discovered by foreign agents. Why they didn’t press charges against her is purely a matter of conjecture at this point. But it certainly looks like favoritism was shown. Had this been some underling, they would be gone. Where was the justice for America?

In the terrible case of Alton Sterling, it certainly appears that the police officers did not hold back. I understand split-second decisions have to be made. I understand when an officer tells you to do something, whether you think you’re in the right or not, you just have to do it lest something tragic happens. But I also understand that deadly force is something that should be handled very, very carefully. Where is the justice for Mr. Sterling?

The news this morning nearly brought me to despair. But I have been reading in the Psalms these days, and I am assured that God is still in control. “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken” (Psalm 62:2). “Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than breath” (Psalm 62: 9). And verse 11: “Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.”

Justice only comes when God is involved. The world will never satisfy our need for things to be right. It’s built into us because we are made in the image of God. Alton Sterling was made in the image of God. Hillary Clinton was made in the image of God. As are the members of the FBI, as is Attorney General Loretta Lynch, as are the Louisiana officers involved in the shooting. “. . . to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work” (v.12).

We won’t see it in our lifetime. Only God’s justice is pure. Anything we see on this earth will fall vastly short.

Praying for the Sterling family. Praying for the officers. Praying for Mrs. Clinton. Praying for America.