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.

Facing Election Season

I always liked to go to my mailbox every day when I was younger to see what treasures the mail carrier would bring. The novelty has worn off a bit as bills and junk mail dominate now. Lately, I’m completely tired of the political ads that show up every single day leading up to an election. In Florida, we’re facing a gubernatorial election next weekend. Who will lead our state? We’ll know in a week. What concerns me more, where all politics are concerned is this: Who is telling the truth?

I don’t know these people; I don’t live with them day in and day out. I don’t see the little decisions they make. I only see what is shown to the public and what is reported by the press. And Lord knows I can’t trust the media.

So, short of traveling to the home of every candidate, what can we do to position ourselves to vote for the most qualified person, since all most people get is the inundation of political ads?

1. Pray

2. Pray some more

3. Do your own research. Which organizations support this person? By whom are they endorsed? What bills have they supported? Go to rallies or town hall meetings. If the candidate has a get together, go. We recently had a school board election in Orange County and a man we didn’t know who works with our organization was running against the incumbent whom we had worked with on several different occasions. Instead of just trusting that the man known by many of our friends would be the better candidate, we invited him to our home to speak with a group we included that evening to hear what he had to say.

It takes effort to be involved, but when I look around and see all the horrible choices some of the leaders in our country have made, I see the necessity. Political correctness is running amuck, common sense is anything but common, corruption is rampant. Change is necessary, but only if it’s in the right direction.

4. Believe that God is in control. Romans 13 says that all authority has been established by God and there is no authority that God did not establish. He is ultimately in charge and He’s got this.

Now get out there and vote!

 

image from: http://www.littlestuff.co.uk