Tomorrow we vote in California. I always try to vote. I think it is an incredible right and privilege and duty to be involved in the political process.
At the same time, do you ever wonder if it really matters who becomes President? One side or the other always complains for 4 years or 8 years. Congress and the Senate seem to move so slowly. To pass any law takes well “an act of Congress” a phrase we commonly use to mean “a real miracle because it takes so long to make anything happen.”
When Hillary Clinton mentioned that it was President L.B.J. who passed the laws that changed our nation in terms of civil rights she seemed to be diminishing the work of the Pastor, Martin Luther King, Jr.. (for more on this see this previous post).
I cannot help but think, whether it is a political leader or a spiritual leader, the best leaders mobilize the people. Real power doesn’t come from changing laws but changing people.
I mentioned this passage in Peppermint-Filled Pinatas, but I think it is remarkable the way the people of Nineveh turned to God and away from their wicked ways just before the King made a proclamation asking them to do so (Jonah 3:3-7). The passage reminded me that often politicians are reactionary and true change must come from the ground up.
Abraham Lincoln once said: “With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed…. He who holds public sentiment goes deeper than he who erects statutes or pronounces decisions.”
How powerful would it be if we decided to create a better nation, a better world rather than waiting on leaders to do all the work for us, knowing they cannot do it without us!
Yes! Yes! Yes! I think so much time is spent on getting people to vote for “the right candidate” more than they do trying to change things around them and creating a better world around them by doing something themselves. Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t be thoughtful and careful in the people that are voted into office. I just can’t help but think how much more would be accomplished in bringing about positive change in this world if we would spend more time being proactive ourselves instead of just pushing for someone else to be proactive on our behalf.
VOTE!
People have died and are dying for this right!
Each individual being serious for God can make a massive difference.