On Tuesday I will vote. I will vote because it's my right as a U.S. citizen. Because it's my responsibility as the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Because it's my privilege, as many people throughout the world cannot do so.
This is my voice. It's a small voice, granted. But it's my voice. In my vote I get to have a say in who represents me in my community, my state, and my federal governments.
When I vote, I understand that no matter how I vote, approximately half of my Facebook friends will disown me, hate me, revile me, and believe that my vote proves that I don't value them as human beings. And it will be proof to them that I'm completely stupid. This is what I have learned from reading many, many people's posts on Facebook recently.
Despite that, I will proceed with my vote. I will vote for the people that, in any given race, best represent my own values and socio-political philosophy. I will vote knowing that no candidate is perfect, or is fully aligned with me. Every candidate is flawed in their views and in their character.
My vote will reflect my socio-political philosophy and my value system. It will be informed by my theological beliefs, which I'm sure is itself flawed but represents my best understanding of God, humanity, society, and government, and how, in a fallen and broken world, government and society should act.
My theology includes a theology of civil government. My theology makes distinctions between Christian behavior and the role of civil government. I do my best to understand what the Bible says is the role and responsibility of secular, civil government. I believe that sometimes, how an individual Christian (or the Church) should treat people in one instance is not necessarily the same as what civil government policy should be.
Romans 12:17-13:7 provides a good example. When we've been wronged, we are not to repay evil with evil. We are not to take vengeance on our own. But we are to let the governing authorities, which Romans 13:4 calls God's "servant" and "avenger", bring justice to the wrongdoer. The punishment of a wrongdoer is not to be handled by an individual citizen, but rather by the system of justice expressed in the civil governing authority that has been ordained by God.
As private citizens, as Christians, we are to forgive others. Seventy times seventy, as Jesus put it. But imagine if the civil government simply forgave those who commit crimes. Imagine if the government never enforced the law but only forgave. We would live in total anarchy.
So I am going to vote on Tuesday for the people that I believe represent what the Bible calls civil government to do, as it is expressed in the American system (since, of course, this is the United States of America).
When I vote on Tuesday, I know that my choices will disappoint and anger about half my Facebook friends. No matter which way I vote. My votes may make them think I don't care about them. May make them think I'm literally completely stupid. Even people who know me well may think this about me, if some of their own Facebook posts about this election are to be taken seriously.
I am in a no-win situation, if my goal is to please my friends with my vote.
So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to risk it and vote anyway. I won't tell my Facebook friends how I've voted. But I'll vote, making my best effort to vote well, knowing that there will be many out there that will instantly think less of me for the very votes I cast.
So be it. I'm going to vote anyway.
