Voting Rights

Over at Blog and Mablog, Doug Wilson has an exhortation for Christians as we ride this political roller coaster called "presidential elections" (actually, any elections will do). The article, entitled The Altars of Democracy, concludes,

When you vote, it should be as an act of faith in God. You are not showing faith in them, or in the process, or in democracy. You have faith in Jesus, and whenever the larger society invites us all to register the presence of salt and light, we should do so. Not on their terms, and not the way they intend. They may read it all wrongly, and if they even notice, they probably will read it wrongly. But we should do so anyway.

I hear echoes in the background, other Scripture references answering back. I hear "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). I hear, "There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Rom. 13:1). I hear Paul's assurance that "God works all things for good" (Rom. 8:28) and Joseph's confident, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:20). And although I might chide Abraham for being a little out of context, I hear, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" (Gen. 18:25) because the idea is absolutely true.

Imagine that! Vote as an act of faith in God. Don't vote for someone because you're hoping to stop something from happening (as so, so many are suggesting). Don't vote for someone because you're afraid of what might happen if you don't. Even if a candidate like Huckabee is an option (someone I think most closely represents my views), don't vote as if the government is the answer. Vote as an act of faith in God. And that doesn't include, "Well, that only counts if someone notices." You know, "What's the point of voting in faith if the person for which you vote doesn't get elected? I've wasted my vote." Is that how faith works? It only counts if someone says, "Hey, that was real faith on your part!"? It only counts if you get what you want? Jesus "voted" against the cross if possible, but that wasn't a lack of faith, nor did the fact that the cup did not pass from Him mean that He wasn't acting in faith.

We Christians talk a good game much of the time. We stand for truth. We stand against evil. We argue for what's right. But when it comes to the voting booth, so many of us seem to get tripped up. "I need to vote for the lesser of two evils," we think, "because if I don't, the worse of two evils will get into office." As if God doesn't have a say? As if someone might gain authority that God never intended? As if the answer is in the office? As if you get to decide, ultimately, to whom God intends to give the authority? No, vote as an act of faith in God, not in democracy or the power of your vote. When viewed in terms of the power of your vote, it is pitiful power. When viewed as an act of faith in God, it's not possible to lose. That's how I plan to cast my vote.