Parents, what to say on election day. In middle school one year there was a great presidential election. Each candidate campaigned hard and it was on every TV ad and radio program. Our teachers decided that it would be a good exercise for the students to participate in our own campaign and voting process the week before the national election to gain perspectives and insights on some of the ways democracy worked. It included some explanation of the Electoral College, but none of us really understood the reason for it in our early adolescent brains. This apparently was a good exercise for me, because I only knew one viewpoint, one perspective, one candidate whom I knew would make the best president. I thought who could possibly vote for the other candidate. My friends on my bus were all aligned on the side of my favorite candidate, and so I assumed every other kid on every other bus would vote the way I did. I thought, this should be a landslide victory. When the day came to vote, we all voted, and I was shocked to learn, at the end of the day, that the other guy had won… not only won but it was not even close. Classroom friends whose candidate had won, learned how I had voted and taunted me and others who voted as I did. The winners even sang the old elementary school playground victory song, “I’m better than you, nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo doo!” I wanted to sit in sackcloth and put ashes on my head… mourning and grieving, incredulous that my candidate had lost big… okay maybe a bit of overdrama, but we were greatly filled with angst as middle schoolers sometimes get when things don’t go their way. Our bus ride home was relatively quiet that day except for one emotionally charged neighbor kid who refused to believe that it was a fair election. His rant included name calling, and questioning the teachers who ran the election and he demanded a recount. We all knew that this kind of landslide victory was not a simple miscount, unless... as he argued, that it was a system corrupt from the core. The candidate by the way, did win the real election the next week. In my middle school mind, when I wasn’t trying to figure out girls, how not to stink with the wrong deodorant, remember to brush my teeth and somehow hide the stench of my smelly vinyl tennis shoes by sitting on them, I thought that president was a total disaster for our country. All the markers that I thought were most important had absolutely tanked, taxes went up, inflation went up, foreign diplomacy tanked and U.S. positions were compromised, however, apparently there were also some really good things that happened too.But, I can’t remember them, because they didn’t fit my narrative of what I thought our country should look like. It wasn’t until later, when I was learning about other oppressive forms of government in the world, that I realized, “wow, what an amazing gift we have to be able to vote for our own leadership.” Sure, it has its own challenges and ways it can be manipulated, but what a wonderful concept… to trust people to make wise choices about whom they choose to lead them. I pray that democracy will continue so that people are valued and that we have a voice and a vote in how things happen. Ultimately, there is a Divine Hand in what happens in our world. God always led His people, when they followed Him or when they rebelled. He is always in control, even when His people were overrun, taken into slavery and persecuted, so that, BTW they would seek His face and return to Him from their rebellion.
Our God, who is the creator of the universe, has a plan for all people, bigger than any country or government. Daniel, who was in exile when God’s people were taken captive to Babylon because of their rebellion, was in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. King Neb had a disturbing dream about the future of not only his reign, but the future of the world. Daniel asked God to show him the dream and the interpretation. When God had given Daniel Neb’s dream and the answer, he responded to Nebuchadnezzar with praise for God and the meaning of his dream. Part of his answer is an encouragement to all of us as we navigate any election season. We read, “Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: ‘Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.’” Daniel 2:19-21 (NIV) Anita, is always quick to remind me of this passage when I get all worked up over politics, that all “wisdom and power are(God’s)” and that “(Our God) sets up kings (and presidents, senators, congressmen, etc...) and deposes them.” Regardless of the outcome of this or any other election, we gotta remember the FIRST thing to do, according to Paul, is to pray for “everyone... and ALL those in authority,”even if we do not agree with them. Paul says to young Timothy and the Ephesian church, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time.” 1 Timothy 2:1-6 (NIV) So, the best thing to say on election day is “God has a plan and I’m praying.”
Hang in there people! God is with us! I’m praying for us all!
