Early voting in this mid-term election has barely begun and already verifiable accounts of voter irregularities, intimidation and fraud are abundant.  And while conscientious citizens are amazed at the lack of attempts that civil authorities make to insure an honest election process and prosecute any law-breakers, I am shocked at what the attempts to illegally vote reveal about those who maliciously engage in that type of activity.

Whereas, we can understand a person’s devotion to a particular ideal, it is more difficult to comprehend how casually some people will sacrifice their soul’s standing before the Lord in order to pursue those personal goals.  Several pertinent questions come to mind as we watch these unfolding events.

1.  Can people ‘defraud others so easily’?  Jesus’ second great commandment, ‘love your neighbor as yourself’, (Matthew 22:37-40) should compel us to value others’ votes as much as we value our own.  Why would we want to cancel their right to be counted equally with us simply because we like our ideas better than we like theirs?  Shouldn’t we consider ‘others BETTER than ourselves’?

2.  Would people ‘sell out their souls so economically’?  Our souls are of infinite, eternal value.  What benefit would it be, Jesus said, ‘if a person gains the whole world and forfeits their own soul’?  (Mark 8:36)  Some say, ‘Well, it’s just an election’.  ‘It’s no big deal’.  If that is true, then why cheat?  It’s about more than that.  Issues of the soul like integrity, honesty, virtue, brotherly kindness and love are at stake, not just the Senate, House of Representatives, Governorships, Judge slots or State Assembly positions.  Let’s fix our eyes on eternal virtues and be done with earthly vices.  Don’t settle for so little.

3.  Will people ‘pervert truth so eagerly’?  God tells us to ‘Buy the truth and never sell it’.  (Proverbs 23:23)  We should always remind ourselves that ‘evil has a say, but it’s not the last say’.  Truth will ultimately win.  It always does.  And when it does, we will want to be on its side.

Let’s be a people who lovingly speak up for and live in ways that are right even when that  is unwelcome or even unnoticed.  ‘For the eyes of the Lord search throughout the whole earth that He might strongly support those whose hearts are devoted to Him’.                          (II Chronicles 16:9)