"If you can't stand the sight of your own blood, don't get into politics" - Mike Huckabee
Understand that this blog is NOT written to endorse any specific candidate. I have a great concern, and it becomes greater every single time elections roll around. When it comes to political parties there are strong beliefs on both sides, and the gap seems to get wider and wider between the two. For some who are hot and heavy into their political parties they can't wait for the next election, they can't wait to talk about how much they hate the other party, they can't wait to try and uncover as much mud as they can on the opponent, and they can't wait to slam the people who support their opponents. As some look forward to an election, I loathe it. Elections bring out the worst of some. People can be mean and down right ugly during elections. Social media becomes a sounding booth, or a slamming booth, against those who claim to be "friends". People start calling each other names like "crazy, blind, morons, uneducated, racist, or deplorable, and so on". You can't label people as such, it is not fair nor is it true. I am a registered Republican. The other day I heard someone say that if your a Republican you are a racist. I know this to not be true, and if you believe that then you have issues and not me.
What really drives me bonkers is when people start making the statement: "you can't be a Christian and vote for ________" or "how can you be a Christian and vote for ________". As a Christian let me remind you and me some things.
You don't know people as well as God does, therefore you do not have the right to judge someone's Christianity based upon their political status. You may not understand why people vote or think the way they do, but your not supposed to and you don't have to.
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
In your ways and thoughts, you are not perfect either:
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3-5)
I am responsible for me and you are responsible for you. Quite frankly, I don't want to be responsible for someone else's life, I have enough on my plate with myself and my children.
People are not crazy, blind, morons, uneducated, racist, or deplorable based upon who they vote for. If you are like me the struggle is real. The last several times I have voted for president, or any office for that matter, I have found myself thinking is this the best our political parties can do? Is this really the best we have to offer? I digress, but since Reagan I have had struggles (and BTW I wasn't even old enough to vote until 1990). The best I can do (and anyone for that matter), is to make a list of what you believe, what is important to you, what is your value system, what will you compromise on and what won't you. Sometimes I feel like voting like Brewster's campaign was in "Brewster's Million" and vote "NONE OF THE ABOVE". At the end of the day it is your right and your vote, it doesn't matter what anyone else says or what anyone else thinks. I long for the days when people could have opposing views and still get along. I'm not perfect nor am I trying to paint a picture that I am. What I can tell you is that I can be friends with someone who doesn't think like me, I can sit down and have a meal with someone who opposes that which I am for, I can have a conversation with someone who disagrees with things I agree with. And So could Jesus.
Don't buy into what all the media, talk show hosts, news, and famous people with a microphone are trying to shove down your throats. They all have agenda's, and not everything is a conspiracy. Think for yourself and don't believe everything you see or hear. Also, remember that it is not the political candidate, famous athlete or actor, news anchor, or talk show host that you will spend your days with. It, however, will be co-workers, family, friends, and neighbors. People burn a lot of bridges because of politics. Love your neighbor as yourself.
I am not ashamed to say that I look for certain things in candidates, I am pro-life, I am for 2nd amendment rights, I am for smaller government, I am for less government intervention, I am a fiscal conservative, and believe in a balanced budget. I am also for a leader that can unite a divided country, and listen to the people....NEITHER candidate has the ability to do so. So what does one do? I can't not vote... far too many people finding themselves having to try and pick the "lesser of two evils". I can't tell you home many times people tell me you shouldn't vote that way, but how can you not. I pray, pray, and then pray some more and fill in the circle beside a candidate that I know I can't support fully, and yet know my responsibility as an American is done because i voted, and I respect the person in office and pray for them (regardless of their political party) because that is what Scripture tells me I am supposed to do.
My name is Chris Reese and I loathe election time, but I vote because it's my responsibility and right.
