Ballot Casting

How I wish I were a second grader right now.
My daughter is doing some exciting things in her classroom.
Election Day is tomorrow.
Claire has been teaching her students about the election process.
They will even have a mock election.

What intrigued me most was how she taught them about campaigns.
The children voted for a classroom monitor.
The two candidates were Cookie Monster and Count von Count.

Cookie Monster’s campaign slogan was “A Cookie For Everyone.”
Count von Count’s campaign slogan was “You Can Count On Me.”

The children had questions as the two candidates campaigned for victory.
They liked the idea that each of them was promised a cookie.
One little boy asked an amazingly discerning question.
Miss Gallagher, what happens if Cookie Monster can’t give a cookie to everyone?

That opened up a whole discussion about promises and the ability to keep them.

But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me, and Silas, and Timothy, was not “Yes” and ‘No”, but in Him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:18-20)

The results of the election for classroom monitor were tallied.
Count von Count won.
He was seen as the most reliable and the most likely to keep his promises.

We heard this story as we went out to dinner for my youngest daughter’s birthday.
As we all walked to the car, two of my daughters were wearing higher, stacked heels.
They were walking with the same rhythm and their heels were clicking in unison.

My youngest daughter laughed at something she used to think when she was younger.
I couldn’t wait to wear “high heels” when I was little.
I always thought that the clicking sound…meant success!
We smiled at the innocence of her statement.
Sound of clicking…image of success.

For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easy enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge.
(2 Corinthians 11:4-6)

The apostle Paul, writer of most of the New Testament, had an image problem.
His enemies took advantage of this and made fun of his unimpressive style.
It didn’t matter that Paul was an intelligent, capable, man.
It didn’t matter that Paul could argue, debate, and reason better than most.
He apparently didn’t have “stage presence”…charisma…that was deemed necessary.

There is nothing new under the sun.
We still expect our candidates to have “stage presence.”
We want the nicely wrapped package…but don’t always care about what is inside.

Sadly, we want the same thing in the church.
We want an eloquent pastor.
We want the Word packaged the way we like it.

Stage presence may attract crowds and bring applause.
At the end of the day…what matters…is a changed life!

Promises are only “Yes” in Christ.
No imperfect human can deliver everything that is promised.
We look to our leaders as our savior.

That is wrong!
There is only one Savior and that is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Our leaders are God’s agents.

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1,2)

Elections come and elections go.
Candidates come and candidates go.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

What is God’s criterion for choosing our leaders?

Select capable men from all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain – and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. (Exodus 18:21)

Fear God.
Trustworthy.
Hate dishonest gain.

Simple.
Without God…impossible!

 

2 responses to “Ballot Casting”

1. I was thinking earier today: WHOEVER wins the election tomorrow (and I pray it will not be a long drawn-out thing– due to the weather issues in NYC etc) as Christians, we should say Praise the Lord– His will be done! He is in control.

   Reply

   • Yes, Janna…the results are in HIS Hands.
     We pray…and we press on.
     Gina

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