Mitzi finally fell out and went to bed about 12 on election night, but I stayed with it until 3 a.m. Yes, we got lots of coverage down here. People in Latin America (probably all over the world) are very interested in who gets elected president in the U. S. Unlike us in the United States, they care and realize that what happens other places may affect the world.
Costa Ricans, being a very pacifistic people, are not big fans of President Bush and find it hard to understand why he would be elected. They look mostly at the war issue.
They are not the only ones who find it hard to understand. The reaction of the media, and many democrats, was interesting also.
There were a few who actually had the honesty to admit that a really large issue is moral values. The facts were before them. The exit polls indicated as much.
I am delighted that it seems that much of the church spoke. But I am really afraid of something. I am afraid that we cannot, or will not stay the course. Yes, many spoke their minds and hearts. My fear is that now, after having spoken, they will go back to business as usual and, thinking that the task is accomplished, stop speaking. My worry is that we will, having won a victory, think the war is won with one election.
Whatever your politics, (I guess mine are obvious.), let it be understood that the Christian life and Christian values are not the responsibility of government. Oh yes, the nation that forgets God is in big trouble, but not the president, nor the congress, nor the court, can be our morality. Fortunately, in a democratic system, we get to vote. However, the strongest votes we can cast...the loudest voices we can have, are he votes cast by our own personal lives.
We must not wait for the right people to be elected to speak for us. Christians must speak loudly and clearly by what we actually do, how we live, how we treat our neighbor. As important as it who we vote for, more important is who we are. If we wait for Christian politicians, proper values in schools, moral legistation, or favorable court rulings, we will never be a force for changing our country or world.
Here, for instance, people are not won to Christ by U. S. politics, but by the witness of professing believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit. They may not understand, or agree with, the policies of our government, but they can hardly argue with kindness, love, and concern.
Christians need to vote and it's nice when our choices are elected, but our hope must never be in them. Our hope is in Christ...and historically He has prevailed in the midst of corrupt, secular, and antagonistic governments.
If your choices were elected last Tuesday, you are glad. Well enough. But let us never rejoice in what appear to be human victories, but in the fact that Christ has already won the ultimate victory.
