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VotingNovember 4, 2008Philippians 1:12-14 I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear. Do you have a bumper sticker on your car? What does it say? Is it political in nature? Does it support a political candidate or does it promote a cause you feel passionately about? Does it speak about war? Abortion? Going green? Today many people use bumper stickers as a way to express themselves and their cause. A bumper stick is easy to put on and it’s usually free or costs very little. In our society today it’s fashionable to wear a ribbon for a cause (every cause seems to have a color). It’s trendy to buy fair-trade coffee and seek out organic groceries. People are ditching those plastic bags at the grocery stores and buying green friendly reusable ones. Others are trading in their massive SUVs and ordering more fuel efficient cars. Owning a Prius makes you an instant star. This political frenzy extends into cyber-space as well. On Facebook, people can support a cause with one click of a button and then send an invitation to all 500 friends for them to click and support as well. Doing these things makes us feel like we stand for something. How could someone possibly call us apathetic? Political activity like that is trendy and cool, but is that how far we take our political engagement? Whatever happened to systematic change? According to the US Census Bureau, in the 2004 presidential election, Georgia ranked third from the bottom in voter turn out with only 55%-60% of the voting age population showing up at the polls. Seventy-two percent of the citizens over 55 years of age go to the polls. This is a substantial increase over the 47% voter turnout between 18- to -24 years of age. Nationally only 58% of the eligible younger generation has even bothered to register to vote and yet, this is the generation that drives political fashion trends. So what does this tirade on apathy and cheap politics have to do with God and the Bible? In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul writes as a prisoner in Rome. He is not upset that he is in prison, nor does he plead with the church to rescue him from his bondage. Instead, he recognizes the bright side of his situation. Since his imprisonment, people have taken note of his passion and zeal for the Lord. Other believers have also been encouraged by Paul’s bold example and have begun to feel more confident in living out their faith. Paul didn’t live out his faith with a simple bumper sticker or a by accepting a faith icon onto his Facebook account. Paul lived passionately and advocated aggressively for that which he believed. Today many Christians forget that our faith requires us to be engaged in the world around us. It is not enough to say, "I believe in this," and then do nothing about it. Jesus didn’t leave us with those instructions. Rather, Jesus instructed us to carry on his mission, to be his hands and feet on earth. We must be bold in our faith, not complacent. We must advocate for what we believe in and not passively support the cause. Today the polls are open for us to make a stand for what we believe. I am not advocating for you to vote one way or another. Faithful Christians disagree on many issues and have their own ideas about how best to be Jesus’ hands and feet on earth. Voting is a powerful way for us to actually make a systemic change in our world. Will you take the time or will you let this opportunity pass you by? "A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote in a national election" --Bill Vaughn For more informationRev. Leigh Martin |
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