Tomorrow is election day. Tomorrow we will make a choice, and collectively decide on where to send this great country of ours.
I love public discourse - exercising our voice is not only our right, but our responsibility as caretakers of the liberties passed down from generation to generation, for which our ancestors fought so valiantly.
Freedom of the press, speech, the rights to assemble, the rights to worship who, where and what we want just to name a few. We would be nowhere without them, and yet – even as we participate in the process and recognize what we hold sacred, our participation is marred by what we as a country have become.
I’m a white man. I’m a Christian. I’m a Democrat. Not the most popular of combinations to be sure – but none of those things explains me in any kind of significant way. And the same applies to all of us. Who knows who we really are besides ourselves and our Savior?
There’s been an unfortunate divide that has taken this country, with its rich history of civil debate and well-thought differences of opinion – we have become a defective kaleidoscope, refracting only red and blue and rejecting the myriad of beautiful colors with which we have been blessed as We the People.
Red state and blue states, us and them, winners, losers, liberals and conservatives –real Americans, and the other kind…
There is a problem we are facing, and it’s our right and duty to stand up.
“Finally brothers, whatever is not false, whatever is not unjust, whatever is not corrupt, whatever is not ugly, what is not lamentable, whatever is not dishonorable, if there is no mediocrity, if there is anything not deplorable, think about these things.”
Many of you will recognize that as NOT being Philippians 4:8 – yet that is how most of us think these days. We have little concept of what we are for, yet we each nail what we are against on each of our own Castle Church doors. We know what we are against, but have no idea what we are for - we know what we hate, and oftentimes end up voting not because we like this or that, but because the alternative makes us sick.
Admittedly, it’s the professional politicians who have pigeon-holed us and require this from us, but we cannot operate from the negative any more. We don’t find truth by exclusion – we find truth by not only standing for, but living those principles that we were taught by the Savior – we are all created in the image our Father, do unto others, care for the less fortunate and love your brother (no matter what political stripe).
Please VOTE tomorrow – and as you do, try to think of who and what you stand for. Think of who you want to represent you and your Christian principles of love and understanding, care and equality, positive, forward thought and integrity versus regressive thinking, negativity and bitterness.
