Seek {it happened on a sunday} day 18

In 1992, I began following presidential elections.  It was the year our incumbent, George Bush, was running against the former governor of Arkansas, a man named Bill Clinton.  Sitting by my parents on the couch in the evenings, I watched the debates, I watched news coverage of election stops, I learned about the democratic process of electing a leader for our country.  I was 10 years old.

I can still remember sitting in my 5th grade science class, watching the inauguration of William Jefferson Clinton.  It was a gray, cold-looking day in Washington DC and Bill and his wife and daughter stood in front of the Capitol building in their fancy coats, and he took the oath of office.  In that moment, I calculated how long it would be before I could be a full participant in the election process.  Only 8 more years until I was eligible to vote, and, coincidentally, it would be time to elect a new president as well.

In those ensuing years, I fell in love with politics.  One of my favorite classes in high school was AP American History, and I loved learning about the Founding Fathers, the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, the remarkably short term of President William Henry Harrison, the Civil War, the fight for women's suffrage, and the civil rights movement of the 60's and 70's.  This is an amazing country we live in; though our history is not perfect, we never stop moving forward.  We don't change our constitution, but we amend it when we realize that changes must be made.  Even that embarrassing hiccup that was the Temperance movement remains on the books.

Photo cred: Washington Times

The year 2000 came, and I made a list for my 18th birthday of all the things I would do in one day.  My first stop was to visit my APAH teacher, also an election official who helped students register to vote.  I excitedly filled out my card, and turned it in.  I would be voting in the fall!  The rest of the day included some fun things, like getting my belly button pierced, purchasing cigarettes (which I gave to a smoker friend...those things have never appealed to me), and buying a lotto ticket.  Before I left for college, I made sure to enroll for a mail-in ballot, which I filled out and sent back to my home county.  Then I stayed up with my roommates, excited to find out who would be our next president.  (Of course, it had to be the year of the "hanging chad" debacle.  We stayed up until about 2 or 3 in the morning, on a Tuesday no less, and passed out still not knowing who the winner was.)

I studied International Relations in college, a mix of politics, history, and economics.  I  had the intention of working my way up through the State Department and holding an elected position some day.  After everything that happened in school, however, I changed my plans and went to work at an airline instead of spending the summer working on my civil service entrance exam.  It is a choice I regret less and less as time goes on.  Especially when God captured my heart, when I began to live my life devoted to him, politics began to lose their appeal.

I was raised under a belief that Christians could fulfill Biblical prophecy by voting Republican every year.  Men like Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole and George W. Bush were touted as "God's candidate."  They were going to lead our country into an era of prosperity and righteousness, and the entire population would fall to their knees and recognize Jesus as Lord.

Imagine my surprise, one Sunday morning in 2008, when the pastor spoke on a Sunday morning about another upcoming election.  "It doesn't matter whether you vote Democrat or Republican!" he said.  I frowned.  Surely he misspoke!  It did matter, in fact, it was everything!  The Republicans were the Christian party!  I decided to investigate for myself, and was startled to learn that the Bible never once mentions the United States of America, presidential elections, or even politics in general.  The very people who opposed Jesus and his disciples tended, in fact, to be elected leaders, political leaders, people who had something to lose if there was another kingdom being ushered in.

Exercising my rights November 2015

Matthew 6:33 says, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."  I am not here to promote a candidate, a policy, a political ideology, I am a child of God and a seeker of HIS kingdom.  And what is this kingdom?  It is where the first shall be last and serve all, where little children are welcome, it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  It is something of a value so great, that one might sell everything they own to afford it.  The Kingdom is spiritual, it is eternal, it is for everyone.

It is a mistake to tie one's salvation and belief in God to a political party, or to think that one country has the favor of a God who sent his son to save the whole world.  It is a mistake to put faith in mere men, when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  I learned not to put too much stock in politics and the changing tides of presidential elections.  I put my trust in God alone.