Why Vote? – The Sequel
I was dazed and confused. I didn't know what was going on.
The sign said RICE AND BEANS, but everything I was looking at was cereal!
For a moment, I thought I had entered an alternate universe. But it was just Walmart after a remodel.
They had moved practically everything in the store—but hadn't gotten around to changing the signs.
Once I figured out what had happened, I thought I'd be fine. But somehow my brain just couldn't adjust. I'd look down an aisle for something, then glance up at a sign telling me it was three aisles away.
Other dazed and confused customers were wandering the aisles like zombies, staring blankly at the shelves and muttering, "I can't find anything!"
It's amazing how disorienting it can be when what you're seeing doesn't match what you're being told.
When the Signs Don't Match
We live in a world filled with signs telling us what to believe, what to value, and how to live.
They're everywhere—in the news, on social media, in entertainment, in education, and in politics.
And those signs can point in very different directions.
Recently, I was part of a small meeting with Georgia gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson at his Jackson Healthcare headquarters.
A few of us were melanin-challenged, but the majority were Black faith leaders and members of the Georgia Black Republican Council.
I was blown away by how these leaders connected their biblical convictions with their involvement in government.
Their Biblical Values Candidate Checklist addresses issues such as the sanctity of life, marriage, sexual ethics, gender and biological sex, parental rights, religious liberty, education, and strengthening families.
And rather than simply presenting a list of political positions, they include Scriptures that provide the biblical foundation for those convictions. Like:
The sanctity of life — "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5)
Marriage — "So they are no longer two, but one flesh." (Matthew 19:6) “male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:27)
Parental rights — "Train up a child in the way he should go..." (Proverbs 22:6)
Religious liberty — "We ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)
I was greatly encouraged to see these leaders openly declaring how their faith and Scripture inform their participation in public life.
The Conscience of the State
Dr. Alveda King, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece, cosponsored the meeting.
She and the other leaders there embodied her uncle's words:
“The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Church isn't called to check out, but to keep the state in check by standing for biblical values and actively participating in public life.
Jesus tells us:
"You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world." — Matthew 5:13–14
Salt preserves. Light illuminates.
Salt doesn't accomplish much sitting in a saltshaker. And a light hidden under a basket doesn't help anyone find their way.
Jesus didn't call us to withdraw from the world. He called us to live in it as salt and light—demonstrating His character, speaking His truth, and working to bring glory to our Father in heaven.
Jesus intended for His influence to extend beyond the walls of the church—into our homes, workplaces, schools, communities, and our government.
But we can't be the light of the world if we're allowing the world to determine what light is.
Whose Signs Are We Following?
At Walmart, the problem wasn't the merchandise. The signs didn't match what was true.
In our world, we're surrounded by voices pointing us away from the truth of God's Word rather than toward it.
Jesus prayed to the Father:
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” — John 17:17
That's our standard. That's the sign we follow.
TRUTH — THIS WAY ➔
Our convictions should be shaped by God's Word, not by popular opinions or the pressure to conform.
Salt, Light, and the Ballot Box
Let's pray for our nation, shine His light, and put our faith into action by stepping into the voting booth.
Before you cast your ballot, take time to pray, study the issues, and vote according to your convictions. And encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.
We don't have to wander around dazed and confused, following all the wrong signs. We have
God's Word to guide us and His Spirit to lead us.
So let's be salt. Let's be light. And let's get out and vote!
Helpful Voting Resources
Here are some resources to help you prepare for Election Day:
iVoterGuide – Find out which candidates on your ballot really stand for your biblical values.
Georgia My Voter Page – Sample ballots, voter registration, early and Election Day voting locations
Comments