Voting: Your Privilege (and Responsibility) as A Citizen

November 4th is midterm election day. Do you plan to vote?

My first opportunity to vote was in 1980. I have not missed voting in a single presidential election and I am pretty confident that neither have I neglected to vote in a midterm election. I value my right to vote. Shamefully, I must admit that I have missed voting when there was nothing significant on the ballot.

I understand that most people are not interested in politics. I understand why they may believe all politicians are crooked. I have difficulty, however, understanding  people who don’t feel a responsibility to participate in the election process.

We are blessed to live in a free country. Freedom, however, is not ‘free.’ It cost many men and women their lives. It also comes with personal responsibility. It is our responsibility to be informed on candidates and their position on the issues and to learn whether their record reflects their rhetoric.

The founders of our nation may have made mistakes along the way, but they were right to believe that to be a great nation we must be a free nation. America has never been ‘perfect.’ No nation ever will be. But we have corrected injustices and continue to do so. Some of the injustices pertained to the right to vote and are revealed in the US voting rights timeline. People fought for these changes. We should not take our right to vote lightly.

When we cast our votes, we choose people who will represent our country in Washington DC and in the world. Where we are today is a result of the ballots that were cast in the past. We elect official and judges, and vote on laws that determine the future course of our culture.

We have the privilege of choosing for ourselves who will lead our nation. There are many nations living under government oppression. America is free to choose our destination. Freedom or oppression is the choice. Every decision (or non-decision) is a choice leading in one direction or the other.

As Christians, we have already decided to live free from oppression. In appreciation, we should be sure to vote our biblical principles so that God may continue to bless America. If you have not already done so, please vote on November 4th.