The Purpose Of Voting | A Christian Perspective
Voting is a gift from Heavenly Father as an extension of the fundamental right to freedom, a foundational value to this country. It is a simple but powerful tool that allows us to make a difference even when it feels like our vote cannot make that much of a difference.
With that being said, our Heavenly Father wants us to vote. In a world where we have kings, queens, emperors, empresses, and other rulers that govern differently, having complete control, In our government, there is a unique purpose and opportunity that I believe God wants us to exercise. That purpose is to always fight for good values and the freedom that allows us to choose them.
“13 Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people — I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you.
16 Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you.
17 For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!
21 And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood.
23 And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.
25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord.
26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law — to do your business by the voice of the people.
27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.
32 And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our posterity remains upon the face of the land.”
Today, it can be highly exhaustive to vote. Many doubts make people feel like voting isn’t worth it. Things like, “ I feel like I didn’t do enough research, so I shouldn’t vote because I’m not well informed,” or “I feel like I’m only choosing between negative options, which makes me not want to be associated with any.” These concerns and many others are valid feelings of apprehension and discouragement.
However, with the many valid reasons you may not want to vote or choose not to vote, I believe God still wants us to attempt.
So hypothetically, if voting was a facade that the government used to make us feel like we were participating in making choices for ourselves when we weren’t, voting shows our Father in Heaven that we care about the world we live in and continue to fight for good values. A vote is valuable because it represents an extension of someone’s character.
, which reads. “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”
In the United States of America, we have the wonderful and unique right to freely vote to maintain good values or change things that we believe don’t meet those values. That is where the fight lies.
reads, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
When we show any form of opposition or agreement in life, it does not show without feelings expressed in personal opinion or preference.
For example, if we are happy about getting our favorite food, that is an extension of our opinion on how that brand makes theirs. If we were sad about the Death of a Loved one, we must have held that person in high regard.
It is the same with voting on issues in government. Voting is a physical act to show others you care about something. Our Heavenly Father wants us to care about the world we live in. He wants the best for us and hopes that we, too, will desire the best for ourselves.
Remember
That having the privilege to vote in a country where the foundation is built on the principle of freedom is an opportunity to always fight for what’s right. To change unrighteousness or keep righteousness, even when those in power do not exemplify such righteous principles.
