By Debbie Wuthnow Published on October 6, 2022

I receive these questions many times for various reasons in my line of work: Who says you should vote? Does it make a difference? What if you don’t like the choice of candidates? Should you still vote?

As the General Election approaches, these questions are even more relevant. From Scriptures to civics and family legacies, there are many reasons why it’s vital for Americans to vote.

Be Salt and Light — Take Part in the Process

First, Scripture reveals what government should look like. The Bible tells us that God ordained civil government to be His servant for our good. (Romans 13:1-4) Conversely, when government does not serve its God-given purpose, the nation tends toward corruption. The influence of Israel’s kings on the people’s behavior is a prime example. In Proverbs 14:34, we see that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

How do people take part in making a nation righteous? By being salt and light — “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” (Matthew 5:13)

One of the ways people can be salt to flavor and even preserve the world is to influence who manages our government by participating in the election process and voting. When eligible voters choose not to vote, they walk away from our chance to make a difference.

read full story here: https://stream.org/why-should-i-vote/