Election Reflection - I am not afraid

The buildup to the presidential election this year has been like riding a roller coaster about 100 times too many. With Election Day coming tomorrow, I think most people feel relieved that it's almost over. (As long as we don't have another 2000!!)

As we head to the polls tomorrow, I hope that everyone votes responsibly. What do I mean by 'responsibly'? I mean voting your conscience and not your fears. We need to vote based on what we believe in, not what we're afraid of. 

Both campaigns have resorted to fear tactics in order to swing voters their way. Of the four presidential elections that I remember, but I don't ever recall the rhetoric of fear being so strong and drowning out the real issues.

Here are some examples:

• On October 9, CNN found that 47 percent of likely voters feared McCain would not make it through one term in office because of his age.
• The Obama campaign has repeatedly invoked people's fears that McCain will be like having another President Bush.
• The McCain campaign ran this ad trying to invoke the fear that Obama is friends with terrorists.
• McCain has also called on people to fear Obama's inexperience, liberalism, and "socialist" tax plan.

Politics is politics, so I really expect nothing less from the two campaigns. But I do expect more from Christians.

Focus on the Family published a Letter from 2012, predicting what the future would be like if Obama is elected. The letter opens with a statement that says, "Many of our freedoms have been taken away by a liberal Supreme Court and a majority of Democrats in both the House and the Senate, and hardly any brave citizen dares to resist the new government policies any more."

Why is this so disturbing? Aside from the fact that it is exaggerated and makes America in four years look like old school communism - this is disturbing because an influential and important voice within the Christian church has lowered itself to the petty fear tactics of politicians.

As Christians, we have no reason to fear. Our hope is in something, actually someone, much greater than the office of the president. The church that Christ established will endure long after any 4 or 8-year term. As the Body of Christ, we are called to be in the world, but not of the world. So when we allow worldly politics to seep in to our faith, it is like putting orange juice on our cereal. The appearance of cereal remains, but it has been distorted, lost its unique flavor and lost its identity. We have a great privilege and a great responsibility to vote, but we need to remember that our ultimate hope and our ultimate future is in the hands of One much greater than the next president.

Let us also remember what the Bible says about fear.

Psalm 27:1 - The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 112:6-8 -  Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

Isaiah 41:10 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Luke 1:30 - But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God."

______________________

**The picture at the top is REAL. This statue is in front of a church in Memphis, TN. I could go on about it...but that's a post for another day.