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September 28, 2008

This is really important

I have always been terribly apathetic about politics, but these last couple of weeks have given me more than enough reason to step up and be informed and involved. To a lot of my acquaintances this might look like bashing so-and-so after every comment and every move, but for me it looks like this:

Read everything you can get your hands on from trustworthy sources.
Watch every debate, every interview, every appearance.
Watch a season of the West Wing for referential purposes.
Ask opinions of those whom you trust, those who can give you opinions and perspectives that aren't over-emotional or angry.
When assessing candidates consider those values, traits and practices that are most important to you, and don't let one issue drag you down.
Remember that you'll never agree with every single thing a candidate stands for.
Look for areas where you resonate with a candidate.
Know that God is bigger than politics; he is not an American.

Someone once told me that the best leaders are those who surround themselves not only with the smartest people they know, but with people who don't always agree with them. Think about that.

Some things I was reading in Titus got me thinking: "An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it......To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." (6-9, 15, 16)

It's easy to judge a candidate based on what people are saying, what you hear, how they sound, what they look like. Now I'm trying to judge them as leaders, as I would an elder to the body of Christ. Rather than just looking at statistics and numbers, I'm asking these questions in order to get to the heart of their character, to understand better how they might lead: What does your family look like? Have you treated them well, lead them well, kept them whole and healthy? How do you use your own money? What do you spend it on and how important are your belongings? How do you treat the poor, the sick, the needy? How do you treat women? Are you honest and disciplined? Do you speak to people as if they are intelligent, do you give them the benefit of the doubt? What are your weaknesses? What does your team look like? Does your team have strengths that balance those weaknesses?

Now although there are similarities, we are not really electing an elder for the Church. Nor can we know the answers to all these questions. I just hope that everyone tries hard to learn as much as they can so when the time comes, they feel confident about the choice they make. Like Kate says, "I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do anything. I couldn't say to my daughter, 'I just sat back and watched.' I have to be proactive."

So, go register to vote if you haven't already. Read read read. Think, stew, ponder. Listen to your gut, listen to your heart, listen to your experience, listen to your soul, listen to your trusted friends. Then, with confidence, pride and prayer, GO VOTE.

Posted by libbystokes at September 28, 2008 04:29 PM

Comments

Posted by: Matt Westbrook at October 6, 2008 06:21 PM