Voting for What Matters Most
A month ago, I trying to decide who to vote for. Usually it’s pretty easy for me to decide. I usually favor Republican. Morally, socially, and the views on Iraq win my vote. However, with current economic times, the candidate’s economic policies are center stage. As I read and listened to the candidates it sounded like Obama had a better plan (or a plan for that matter). He was winning my vote day after day. This put me in a conscience crisis. On issues like the war in Iraq, abortion, and gay marriage I favor the right side. Economically I favor the left. I was in a dilemma. Part of me wanted to not vote since I couldn’t decide except it is my calling as a citizen of the United States of America to be an informed voter.
I prayed and thought and weighed the sides, then I realized it was very obvious. If I counted all the issues as having the same weight, I would have a problem since my scale would be balanced. However, all issues are not the same. As much as the economy is important to me, I cannot vote for a president who supports infanticide. It’s just that plain and simple to me. I was watching a news article saying how Obama was winning many pro-lifer’s because of his economic policies. I began to think that if we went into a full blown recession, life would be a lot tougher. Times would be hard for people. We would need to control our spending and live without many of the amenities we take for granted now. However, life would not end. We would survive, just at a reduced comfort level. On the other hand, with abortion, life is at stake. It’s not about personal comfort but life or death. I view the economic policies as, ‘what can the president do for me?’ ‘How can he put more money in my pocket?’ My approach to the topic is very self-centered. “I want more money.” Abortion isn’t about me; it’s about life. It’s about protecting someone who can’t vote to protect herself. It’s not about advancing my agenda but allowing someone else to have an agenda. I tried to look at the candidates through God’s eyes and see what he would value. As much as I would want a better economy and more money in my pocket, I think a vote for life is much better placed.
NOTE: These are my political view. Each person should evaluate for themselves who they believe God wants them to vote for. My economic views were formed before reading this article on socialism and the redistribution of wealth. It provides a Biblical view on the subject taken from Wayne Grudem’s book “Business for the Glory of God”. (Wayne Grudem is the author of the Systematic Theology textbook used in CFC’s Systematic Theology courses I and II.)