Note to Christians Be knowledgable and go to the polls

To the Editor

I admit it - a presidential election year can takes its toll on a person's patience. With all the political speeches and commentary sometimes it seems like we're listening to Charlie Brown's mother, "Wah-wah-wah- wah-wah-wah..." In the middle of all this, though, there are some critical things we should consider.

First I am thankful we live in a country where we have the freedom to passionately discuss, debate and even disagree. This is no small deal. Amidst all the verbiage we should stop and thank God this is even possible. In many countries a person can get arrested and even killed for publically disagreeing with a sitting ruler. In some countries, if there is an election at all, either the process is severely corrupted or the opposition is threatened with bodily harm, or both.

Second, we live in a country where the general public, the citizens, you and me, get to decide who makes our laws and what kinds of policies affect our everyday lives. Will we ever forget the young Iraqi woman on the magazine cover with her finger purple with ink and a big smile on her face after she voted for the first time in a nation where this was nothing short of a miracle?

Third, your individual vote DOES count! Do we need reminding that in recent history in our country with 311 million people the election of the most powerful man on the planet was decided by only a few hundred votes? Was yours one of them?

Fourth, and most important to me, as Christians we have the responsibility to make a positive difference in our world using every means possible within biblical guidelines. This leaves a long list of options for us to influence our culture. We are called to be "salt" and "light" in every area of our life and not just inside the four walls of our church on Sunday and Wednesday. With this being the most important election in our lifetime it's time people of the Christian faith rise up and let our voice be heard like never before, and this certainly includes the voting booth!

While voting is important, I invite you to consider that voting according to political party alone is probably not a good idea. Admittedly there are some incredibly major differences in party platforms, and most politicians are in a particular party because they agree with what the party stands for to some degree. There is no question platforms do matter, however, simply voting blindly for a person because they have a "D" or "R" or whatever by their name is to ignore the fact this person may occasionally, or even often, vote contrary to their official party platform.

Ask, "What does this individual really believe as revealed in their words and actions over time? How have they voted in the past? What kinds of legislation have they been a part of? Have they displayed any kind of commitment to Jesus Christ and the Bible? Do they go to church? If so, which one and how often do they attend? If not, why? Which candidate's track record lines up most closely with biblical values? These are just a sampling of questions we need to be seeking answers for in being good stewards of both our faith and our freedom. And yes, while it's impossible to know everything and it often takes a lot of work and prayer to know the real truth it's so well worth the price we pay.

And to those who feel their vote won't make a difference so decide not to vote, remember this: to choose not to vote is actually a vote for the opposite side of your beliefs. In other words, for every genuine Christian who could vote according to biblical values but doesn't, in reality gives more weight to those who vote according to ungodly values. In reality, this has been the track record for many American Christians in the last several elections and is a major reason our country is on such a downhill slide.

U.S. Christians have the numbers to actually change the course of this nation in a Godly direction if we would demonstrate our faith as we vote. This is precisely what our founding fathers understood and is what we need to do in that little cubicle on Nov. 6.

Rev. Brian Sharp

Pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship

Poplar Bluff, Mo.