I Voted Today

Yes, even though it's a week and a half before official election day, I voted today. Illinois has early voting. Surely you know our motto in Illinois, "Vote early and vote often!" (That's a joke for my literal readers.) I consider it a God-given responsibility to vote. There aren't any verses in the Bible about voting but there is one that I think applies. Jesus was once asked if it were lawful to pay taxes. Those who asked were trying to trick Him into saying something they could hold against Him. His wise answer about taxes applies to voting. He held up a Roman coin with Caesar's image on it and said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" Matthew 22:21. Voting in any country is part of the human government's way of doing things. Human governments are set up by God and entrusted with authority Romans 13:1. Yes, God is in control, even if you think He's doing a lousy job. Although the government doesn't demand we vote, it wants us to and that is how decisions are made. I think Jesus would have voted, just like He paid taxes. [Tweet "I think Jesus would have voted, just like He paid taxes."]

My Surprise When I Voted

Like most people I'm ready for the election to be over. So I was really surprised when I went to vote. I expected way more choices than I found on the ballot. I'm somewhat of a political junkie, following the news regularly on websites and social media. I've remained fairly current on all of the issues of the presidential campaign. So I thought I would have more choices than I did. For example, I thought this choice would be there:

___ Vote here as a protest, to send a message to Congress and the established political parties that you are fed up with them.

Hmm, it wasn't there. Next I looked for this but didn't see it:

___ Vote here (while holding your nose) for the candidate you hate the least.

Okay, I thought I would see these listed:

___ Vote for the candidate endorsed by some but not the most popular mega church pastors and famous Christian authors.

___ Vote for the candidate endorsed by some but not the most popular movie stars and famous athletes.

Wow, those weren't there. I was confused. Surely I would find these choices:

___ Vote for the candidate who is accused of being a sexual predator.

___ Vote for the candidate whose spouse is an accused sexual predator.

Nope, they weren't there either. Surely these choices would be there:

___ Vote for the candidate who is going to take away everyone's guns.

___ Vote for the candidate who is going to buy everyone a gun.

No, not there. I was surprised. I've been following the Wikileaks scandal so I was certain these would be on the ballot:

___ Vote for the candidate being propped up by and reluctantly defended by all the popular newspapers, and TV networks.

___ Vote for the candidate being propped up by and reluctantly defended by all the popular radio talk show hosts and websites.

I didn't see those options either. I thought about some things Christians have been saying so I really expected to find this:

___ Vote here to tell everyone you are a good Christian and the most important thing is not who gets elected president but that you are a good Christian and now everyone knows that you are a good Christian.

I was disappointed that choice wasn't there. I do want people to know I'm a good Christian. Okay, what about this:

___ Vote here for the candidate with physical health issues that some say disqualify the candidate.

___ Vote here for the candidate with mental health issues that some say disqualify the candidate.

There has been so much talk about this, I couldn't believe it wasn't there. How about these?

___ Vote here to keep this person out of jail after the election.

___ Vote here to keep this person out of reality TV after the election.

I just don't understand why those choices weren't there. I kept looking. Surely I would see this:

___ Vote here because what is most important is that you want to elect the first woman president and don't be confused into voting for the other woman on the ballot because if you vote for her you won't be voting for THE first woman president but ANOTHER first woman president.

That choice wasn't there either! So after all my looking this is what I found, just four choices and a write-in space.   What do you know? After all the posturing, all the politicking, all the fanfare, it came down to this. I had four choices. [Tweet "I voted for the person who I believe would be the best president of the United States."] That was the only choice I had and before God I cast my vote. Please do so, too!