Election Day Confusion
1 Samuel 16:1-13, "The LORD said to Samuel, ’How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’ [2] But Samuel said, ’How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.’ The LORD said, ’Take a heifer with you and say, ’I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ [3] Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.’
[4] Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, ’Do you come in peace?’
[5] Samuel replied, ’Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. [6] When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ’Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.’
[7] But the LORD said to Samuel, ’Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’
[8] Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, ’The LORD has not chosen this one either.’ [9] Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, ’Nor has the LORD chosen this one.’ [10] Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ’The LORD has not chosen these.’ [11] So he asked Jesse, ’Are these all the sons you have?’ ’There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered, ’but he is tending the sheep.’ Samuel said, ’Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’
[12] So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, ’Rise and anoint him; he is the one.’ [13] So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power."
Would you vote for someone like Eliab if he were running for public office today? He was an impressive Old Testament character. His father, Jesse, was an important, righteous man in Bethlehem. Eliab could lay claim to the same prestigious lineage as his younger brother David. Besides being the eldest male in the family, he was a tall and handsome man to boot. Surely, we would vote for such a person to be our leader. After all, the famous prophet, Samuel, did!
But the Lord reminded Samuel in verse 7, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Most of us will soon be deciding whom to vote for in the election this Tuesday. Besides choosing who we want to represent us in congress, the senate, and other public offices, we have the duty and privilege of voting for the next leader of the most powerful nation on earth.
It’s such an awesome privilege and responsibility that it makes me wish God would speak to us as clearly as He did to Samuel in verse 12 when David was brought before him. God said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." Wouldn’t it be great if God would do that today? If the minute we stepped into the voting booth God whispered in our ears, "Vote for this one. He is the one."
I’m not saying God doesn’t or can’t do that today. It’s just not happened in my own personal experience, nor have I heard anyone else having such an encounter. No, usually God provides us with all the information we need to make a sound choice for leadership that pleases Him. But then He steps back and let’s each of us make our own choice. It’s that free will thing again. He gives us everything need and every opportunity to learn, but then He still allows us to make our own choice. He won’t force us to vote for a certain candidate any more than He’d force us to repent of sin and obey His Word.
That is necessary and good. It exhibits God’s respect for man’s individual freedom of choice. But it can also be down right frustrating when you aren’t sure which way God is leading, when you haven’t received all the information you need to make the right choice. A great big sign lighting up the heavens with the name of the candidate God wants you to choose sure would be nice at times like that. But since I’ve yet to see or hear anything of the sort, we must come to our decision another way.
That’s what I want to look at this morning. How do we, as Christians, come to a decision about whom to vote for? What are some guidelines to follow in making such an important decision?
1. Seek God’s Counsel
The first thing all Christians should do when facing any decision in life is to seek God’s direction and counsel. That seems like an obvious suggestion, however, we humans tend to be our own worst enemies.
Why is it, that when decisions must be made, or crises come, that we try everything we know in our power to do before we ask God what He wants us to do? We seek out friends’ or family members’ or fellow Christians’ opinions and advice before we even bother to seek God’s guidance. Isn’t that ridiculous? And yet we all do it. All the time.
The all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful Creator of the universe who has all the answers, who can see the future, who knows what’s best, who has perfect plans for us, and who loves us beyond our human comprehension is just waiting for us to ask Him for guidance. And instead, we turn to Charles Gibson, Katie Couric, George Stephanopolis, or heaven forbid Oprah, Ellen, or the women from The View.
The Bible tells us very clearly in James 4:2, "You do not have, because you do not ask God."
Jesus’ disciples show us a good example of the importance of looking to God for direction in the first chapter of the book of Acts. After Jesus ascended back to heaven from the Mount of Olives, the remaining eleven disciples and many others who had followed Christ went back to the room where they were staying in Jerusalem. And while they were there awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit they had to decide who among the many followers of Christ would take Judas Iscariot’s place among the apostles.
So, they had their own version of an election. Two candidates were chosen. One was a man named Joseph who has also called Barsabbas or Justus. The other was a man named Matthias. Both men had excellent qualifications for stepping into the ministry. Both had been with the disciples from the time of John the Baptist’s ministry until Jesus was translated into the clouds after His resurrection. They were both witnesses to Jesus’ ministry from the beginning to the end.
So, the disciples had to choose which one would fill the vacant ministerial post. And before they did so we find that they sought God¡¦s direction. Acts 1:24-25, "Then they prayed, ’Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen [25] to take over this apostolic ministry...’"
God loves to answer the faithful, diligent prayers of His children. When we ask in Jesus’ name and according to His will all heaven opens up. He directed His disciples and He will direct us.
Follow the example of the disciples in the Upper Room. Ask the Lord to show you which candidate He has chosen for each position, and then listen for the answer. Don’t wait until Tuesday as you are heading into the voting booth to ask. Do it now, today, if you haven’t already done so. And then keep your eyes and ears open and actively await His answer.
Matthew 7:7-8, "Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
2. It’s What’s Inside That Counts
The second thing we need to remember as we try to decide which candidates to vote for is the same lesson God gave Samuel. It is not about how impressive a person is on the outside - it’s what is on the inside that counts.
The fact that we could have our first African American president, while history making, is NOT a good enough reason to vote for a person. That is simply the outside package. Neither is the fact that we could have our first woman vice-president a good enough reason to vote for a candidate. Race and gender are merely exterior packaging. They tell us nothing about the interior of the people who may lead our country.
In John 7:24, Jesus warns us to, "stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."
Now, I know that we can’t see a person’s heart like God can. We can’t make unwavering judgments about people that we’ve never met. But God can. He knows each individual’s heart and thoughts, their motivations, and needs. He knows whose heart is most open to Him and His guidance, and I believe He provides us with enough information about each candidate’s true character, that if we are listening and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will know who to vote for.
Evaluating past performance and words and comparing them to the authority of God’s Word can tell us a lot about each person’s heart. Ask God to show you past voting records on key biblical topics like abortion and same-sex marriages. Ask God to make their hearts clearer to you so that you can make right judgments.
Luke 6:43-45, "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. [44] Each tree is recognized by its own fruit...[45] The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
Compare a person’s words to the fruit they produce in their lives. Instead of listening to the throngs of people or talking heads on the television, listen to the still small voice of your Lord point out the good or evil fruit produced by each candidate. Judge not only whether or not their words match their actions, but judge also if their fruit of their lives matches God’s Word.
3. Wise and Knowledgeable Leaders
Third, we need to choose a leader who is wise and knowledgeable. America is presently the most powerful nation on earth. We are engaged in war abroad and are facing an economic crisis at home. And we are not well liked in other parts of the world.
These are all things we need to keep in mind when choosing our leaders, especially our president. Whoever we choose will be stepping into arguably the most powerful position on earth. This person should be someone with some high degree of knowledge and wisdom or we could be facing disaster.
So how do we determine if a candidate shows wisdom and knowledge? God’s Word tells us in Psalm 111:10, that: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." And in Proverbs 1:7, it teaches that: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Ask yourself which candidates exhibit a reverence for God, His Word, and the truths listed in it? That is the only true test of wisdom there is.
Take the time to go to websites like Vote Smart and look up each candidate’s voting record, what committees or groups they belong to, what their stands are on important issues, etc. This is the fruit their lives are producing. Not only does it show us where their hearts are, it shows us whether they fear God, or treat Him and His Word with contempt.
And while wisdom and knowledge are the most obvious characteristics needed in a leader I think the Bible gives us some more to look for. In 1 Timothy 3:1-13 we find a list of characteristics the Apostle Paul gives to Timothy concerning what to look for in men seeking leadership within the church. Now, I know these characteristics aren’t given about those seeking public office in a secular context, but when I started reading and studying this list, I realized that the qualities God is looking for in men to lead His church are just as important for a secular leader to exhibit.
I’m not going to read all 13 verses to you, but I have listed some of these characteristics for you to keep in mind when choosing who to vote for as your leaders.
*above reproach (v. 2)
*not a recent convert (v. 6) - experienced
*worthy of respect (v. 8)
*self-controlled (v. 2)
*not a lover of money (v. 3) or pursuing dishonest gain (v. 8)
*keeps hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience (v. 9)
*manages his own family (v. 4, 12)
*temperate, not indulging in wine or drunkenness (v. 3, 8)
*must first be tested (v. 10)
There are several more characteristics listed, but I think you get the idea. These are important qualities for any leader to have, secular or religious.
4. Policies and Personal Benefits
The fourth concept to keep in mind when trying to determine who to vote for is the policies each candidate proposes and how they affect you personally.
This seems like common sense. Most people look at how each candidate would benefit them personally, and vote accordingly. For example if a person has recently been affected by layoffs, they will be interested in which person is promising jobs and how they plan to increase employment. Or someone who owns a small business may vote for the candidate with the proposal that benefits them most.
While this seems natural, I want to remind you of something. We as Christians should NEVER base our vote merely on how one person’s promises could benefit us materially. Remember, this world is not our home.
I would like to pay less taxes as much as the next person. I’d love to see every person covered by some form of health insurance. It’d be wonderful to free our country from its dependency on foreign oil. But such policies alone are NOT appropriate enough reasons to vote for one person over another, especially if that person also promotes values that are contrary to God’s Word.
God and His kingdom must always come before personal gain or desires. Matthew 6:33, "Seek first his kingdom and all these things will be given to you as well." It’s more important to please God than it is ourselves.
What’s the Point?
One final matter I want to briefly discuss this morning before we part. I’ve heard and been asked by people, "Doesn’t God already know the outcome of the upcoming elections?"
After all, as we read in Romans 13 last week, all authorities that exist are established by God, so whomever wins the election on Tuesday is established by God as our next leader, right? So, then what is the point of voting? What is the point of trying to determine which candidate to vote for if God already knows and is establishing them? It doesn’t seem to really matter who we vote for or even if we vote at all. So, why bother?
These are very good questions that I’ve really had to ponder and search out the answers to. And I believe the Bible can fill us in on God’s thoughts in this matter. Look with me at Romans 6:16,
"Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"
The key word in this passage is obedience. And I believe obedience is the key to understanding why Christians should not only exercise their right to vote, but also to cast that vote for the candidate who best fits within God’s guidelines for leadership.
You see, the outcome of an election is important. I don’t deny that at all. It’s what everyone focuses on and is arguably the whole purpose of an election. But as always, I’ve found that what the world focuses on and considers important is usually not the same thing that God focuses on or holds as important.
Whereas the world is focused on the winner and the outcome, I truly believe God is more concerned with the individual voters, their attitudes, their hearts, and the choices they make. While the results of the election may affect our immediate, earthly lives in some way, the condition of our hearts directly impact our spiritual lives and our relationship with God.
Whether or not we choose to obey God in the everyday mundane living of our lives affects our relationships, health, peace, etc. Casting a vote for a candidate who upholds God’s moral law is just another opportunity God gives us to walk in obedience to His will.
God is concerned with your heart. He’s interested in whether or not you take the opportunity He’s provided to exercise your free will to choose in accordance to His Word. Voting is your chance to show God you choose Him and are concerned with His kingdom. It is another way to show God you love Him by making a choice for Him and His values as exhibited in a specific candidate. It’s a way to act out your faith in obedience. And if you notice Romans 6:16 tells us that obedience leads to righteousness.
Even though God already knows the outcome of the election and it may seem pointless to even vote, God is watching to see what you do with this opportunity to freely choose between Him and the world. He’s interested in your choice, your attitude, your heart.
So, as Election Day gets closer I encourage you to take the time to pray and ask God’s direction in the voting process. Study the candidate’s positions on issues that concern God¡’s kingdom and will. Look at their voting records, examine their character and the fruits of their lives. Trust God to show you His will and boldly exhibit your faith in obedience to Him by voting no matter what the outcome.
Sermon Source:
Ham, Ken. "For Whom Should We Vote? The ’Heart’ of the Issue" Answers Update. Vol 15, Issue 10, 2008.
