Forgive me for recycling an article that I believe still applies to being a child of God and a citizen of the world.Voting is not one of the ten commandments but a civil responsibility and spiritual choice. Now, I am not going to tell you who to vote for. That would cause much more consternation that I can handle. Just a few helpful insights:

Pray.

Read and think.

Converse with others, even others with a different view.

Pray some more.

Vote.

Do all the above without malaise toward others. Do not call another evil because they think differently. Do not let your self-interest be the determining guide. Seek a common good.

I lean one way, because my life experience steered me that way. A dear friend leans the opposite direction. At times, I am caught off guard by this friend’s political views. I often choke on words like, “How stupid can you be?” or “Where did that come from?” or even “How can a follower of Jesus believe that?” Only to discover that he is thinking the same about me.

Whenever we bring God into national or local politics, we are begging for strife and contention, and just plain o’ hurt feelings. The following quote from Abraham Lincoln wisely guides us. "My concern is not whether God is on our side. My greatest concern is to be on God's side." Another more modern quote also helps, “Don’t go right or left, go deeper.” Going deeper to a place of peace where God’s will supplants our will. Going deeper to a deep-rootedness unshaken by the divisive and destructive voices. An election determines winners and losers. Living faithfully and treating all persons as God’s children despite election results elevates all.

May God be glorified.

Keith Switzer

P.S. I was sent this John Wesley quote after I finished my writing. The world has not changed much in almost 250 years.“October 6, 1774I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them,1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against, and3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”― John Wesley