In life and in voting, it’s not about us
Especially in the realm of politics, I am too often struck when Christian folk- my people, my brothers and sisters- talk about voting in terms of their own self-interest. Or out of their own hatred of another. Or out of a desire to see "their people" win- which always refers to a political party. And I wonder when that became who we are. We are people who follow Jesus- Jesus who purposely DIDN'T look out for himself. Who saw to the needs of his brothers and sisters, especially those who were the farthest away from the privileges in life. And he lived his life with them, healing them, welcoming them and chastising those who kept them marginalized. This is our story. This is how God chose to dwell among us. In the 30-some years our God dwelt in flesh on the earth, this is what our God did. And if we hope to know the life and love that this God-in-the-flesh Jesus had for us, then there's no better way than to do the stuff he did. To follow his life.
And that starts by living our lives with those who have been pushed to the margins of society. Those that are told that they are lesser than others. And it means speaking up to those who try to keep things just as they are. Or speaking up when folks are making things worse for our brothers and sisters who live without access to some of the basic goods of life- like health, protection, welcome and enough to eat. This is the Jesus life. It's hard to do. Many of us- including myself- don't do it well.
But in the United States, many of us also get this thing called a vote. And we get a chance to use that treasure to serve our neighbor, the same way we use our money and our time and our privileges. We get to steward that vote well- to use it to make the kingdom of this world more like the kingdom Jesus proclaims. Our vote is a treasure to be used for the sake of our brothers and sisters. Not ourselves. We don't vote for what makes OUR lives better, we don't vote out of hatred, and we don't refrain from voting if there isn't someone perfect to vote for. Our call is to vote for what serves our brothers and sisters who are in the greatest need. That is always our call. With our money, with our vote, with our lives. To follow Jesus by loving the people he chose to spend his life with. So come November, use your vote well for the sake of the life of your brothers and sisters.