Four years ago, I voted in my first presidential election. I reflected on that process in the original Election Day Wisdom post. Today, I will likely cast my vote for president a second time. I feel no better than I did then about the state of our nation. I certainly feel no better about the candidates we have been handed, and neither do many of the Americans I have heard from. I have debated staying home from the polls for that reason. I may walk into the booth unsure of who will get my vote on the big ticket. And when I walk out, I will not divulge who I chose– it’s not worth the heated debates and ugly words that may ensue. Yet despite all of that, I still feel privileged.
Our democracy was hard won by our founding fathers, who refused to be tyrannized by a fallible, human king any longer. My right to vote as a woman was hard won by a brave group of women who refused to be told that their voices didn’t matter. Brave men and women still die to defend that right. I am grateful for that no matter who is on the ballot.
I’m not here to tell you how to vote. Frankly, that’s not a can of worms I want to open. Instead, I implore you to vote your conscience, even if it differs from mine. The Bible says that each person must follow his or her own, and will answer one day for doing so. But no matter which of two fallible men gets your vote, there are a few things we need to keep in mind now just as much as we did in 2016:
God Will Still Be God on November 4
Both sides feel that a lot is at stake in this election; I’ll agree. Many facets of our everyday lives on earth are thrown up in the air every four years. But fellow Christian, here’s the good news: this world is not our home. Whatever they may do with our rights, freedoms, healthcare, or 401Ks, as good or devastating as it may be for now, no politician can touch our eternal soul. We will one day live forever in a place governed by the only perfect King.
God will still be God on November 4. God will still be God when President Trump or Biden enacts policy with which we disagree, no matter how devastating we find them to be. Even if our worst nightmares come true, God will still be God. I thank Him that our hope does not rely on the results of this or any election, but on the promises of our good God.
Our Neighbors Will Still Be Our Neighbors on November 4
I’ve met members of the church who are voting for both major candidates, and even third-party candidates. I’ve also seen those members berated publicly for expressing those views, and it saddens me deeply.
God is not a Democrat or a Republican; in fact, Jesus never answered a political question about Israel and Rome the way most expected. The average Israelite’s idea of the Messiah was a conquering soldier coming to free God’s chosen people from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. What He could not seem to make many of them understand is that He had a higher purpose and a greater kingdom in mind. When we let something so worldly as politics divide us, we send the watching world a message about which kingdom we find the greatest.
Further, the church is to stand united as the bride of Christ, no matter the State of the Union. No matter how vehemently we disagree with our brothers and sisters, we are not relieved of our duty to love and respect them. Our bickering sends the world a message about what the love and grace of Christ can and cannot overcome. If we expect the world to believe that grace is real and at work in our lives, we must treat one another as if it is.
Pray For Our Nation Long After November 4
Whichever leaders are elected, pray for them. Pray for our direction as a nation. Pray for the people affected by the policies our leaders will make. Most of all, pray for wisdom as you cast your vote. Pray without ceasing, because we are called to do just that. I can attest to the power of prayer in my own life, and our country needs it now more than ever.
As another election season of divisive rhetoric and explosive scandal comes to a close (good riddance), may we continue to look to Jesus, knowing only He can fix broken lives, a broken country, and a broken world. Policy is not the ultimate solution; it is love– more specifically, the love that Christ has lavished on us. May we be overflowing with that love, no matter who is in the White House.
Madison J. Caplinger 
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