Politicians bow down to the culture bullies because they know half of all Christians in America don’t register to vote. They are also aware that half of those registered to vote will never cast a ballot.
Too many Christians believe turning the other cheek means keeping a stiff upper lip and yielding ground to a bully. Wearing a a “grin and bear it” grimace, silent saints suffer, in self-imposed exile, in their own nation. They have lost their voice in the culture wars, not from the hoarseness derived from spirited debate, but from a self-inflicted gag order.
The right to vote is one of those private expressions that is still available to a Christian citizen in what remains of a republican (small “r”) form of government. Some voices within the church, oozing with misplaced mercy and ill-advised counsel, attempt to convince Christians that mobilizing their base to vote is form of bullying. Express personal convictions based on the Word of God has become the latest form of hate speech in those outside of the church. Both of these positions take separation of church and state to whole new levels of absurdity. impotency. God-given rights should not be taken lightly, nor given up easily. Deluded expressions of benign piety or a misguided spirit of self-resignation are poor substitutes and expressions of contemporary Christian citizenship.
Politicians bow down to the culture bullies because they know half of all Christians in America don’t register to vote. They are also aware that half of those registered to vote will never cast a ballot. Political figures are merely actors on a stage, performing a script written by the audience. They are not influenced by those who speak up, but they pay close attention to those who show up.
Politicians look at a petition presented by a group of Christians, and they divide by four. Remember your fractions? One half of one half is one-fourth. When they see a small group of protesters, with a reputation for contributing big money and consistently casting ballots, they multiply by ten. Christians don’t influence politicians by raising their voices, signing petitions and eating more chicken. They do it by registering to vote and casting ballots. There is a huge difference between symbolism and substance. Politicians pay lip service to the former, and pay attention to the latter.
All that glitters isn’t gold and silence isn’t golden, when it is just plain yellow. Color blind Christians are too often perceived as cowards, and seldom considered a constituency. Perception is the cruelest form of truth, but the truth is that this perception will not change until Christians leaders stop focusing on policy initiatives, press releases, and photo -ops. Politicians do not fear the turn of a phrase or the next leadership summit. They fear voter turnout. Mobilizing pastors to inform and inspire their people to register to vote and to enter the voting booth to express their Biblical convictions is not complicated. It is consistent with the Scriptural admonition for Christians to be salt and light in a tasteless and sightless world.
The voting booth and the prayer closet have one thing is common. SILENCE. Politicians listen to the faintest whisper of the voting booth. God inclines to hear the cries of His children rising up to Him from their prayer closets. Votes are heard in Washington D.C., but prayers are answered in Heaven.
Bullies fear votes. Satan fears prayer. The Soul of America is impacted by both. Cast yours.
