Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” – Zechariah 7:9-10
Next week, the residents of Indianola get to do something quite special. They get to elect leaders. This is truly special, not just because it is estimated that only 45% of the world’s population lives in a democracy (an even smaller portion has truly free elections), but because for most of history, very few people have had a role in selecting leaders. It was only 105 years ago that women were granted the right to vote in America (19th Amendment) and it was within my lifetime that the Civil Rights Act (1965) ended discriminatory voting practices here. We ought to be humbled by the awesome privilege and power to make a difference through our vote. Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. In a church context, the Bible affirms the right of members to elect shepherds. Leveraging this principle, John Locke (Two Treatises on Government, 1689) argued for a social contract in which civil authorities operate by “the consent of the governed”. In a representative democracy, this consent is granted through free elections.
Consider seven key responsibilities of citizens to give their consent:
1) Learn. Voters can review available information about the character, history, and positions of candidates. Citizens have a responsibility to dedicate time to acquire such knowledge and evaluate those who seek to lead. News outlets are a critical source for helpful information. Said the other way around, it is irresponsible to ignore what can be known. This “learning” activity is best done over a period of time – not just during a campaign cycle – but it is never too late to learn before an election.
2) Understand. Communities and economies have a lot of moving parts – they are necessarily complex. Our society encourages education in part to aid in the process of understanding issues that affect more than just your own personal concerns. A now-defunct discount retailer (Syms) had the motto: “an educated consumer is our best customer”. The best voters are those who seek to comprehend what is at stake.
3) Register. Given the privilege and significance of voting, it is astounding that so many people don’t bother ensuring that they are enrolled in the process. Registration is easy.
4) Encourage. Family members and neighbors ought to take an interest in ensuring that others appreciate the value of getting involved. All residents should positively encourage others to participate. Those who proclaim, “My vote doesn’t really matter” are a huge part of societal dysfunction.
5) Vote. It is not enough to have an opinion. We need to act. Take time to go to the polls and cast your ballot.
6) Obey. Those who say things like, “He’s not my president” are completely misunderstanding the beauty of majority rule. Once we have collectively decided who will be the decision makers, we must submit to the authority that we have put in place. Voters have the responsibility to obey whomever we as a team have elected.
7) Serve. If you don’t like what’s going on, or you believe that you have valuable ideas, step into the ring. Society needs to hear your perspective, and we need thoughtful candidates to step up. Serving at the polls aids the political process. Step up and speak up (e.g., through letters to the editor and/or to the elected leaders and candidates themselves).
What about elected officials? Don’t they have responsibilities? Yes. God made it clear that they must: 1) Render true judgments, 2) Show kindness and mercy to one another, 3) Not oppress the widow, fatherless, sojourner, or poor, and 4) Not devise evil against another in their heart. God’s list to Zechariah is a great start for evaluating whom you should elect to lead the community – and for following within your own home. “Woe to My worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock!” (Zech 11:17).
In a letter to a slave owner, Paul expressed the importance of being a good leader and a good follower: “but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord” (Philemon 1:14). What was Paul getting at? Godly leaders are first and foremost accountable to God. Vote for leaders who are committed in their heart to exhibiting the love of Christ. We elect them, but they are accountable to their Creator.
