Tag Archives: Elections

Advocacy

I care for Kids and I voteLiving in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
October 19, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:15-22

 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. — Matthew 22:17-22

 Today marks the end of our 40 day emphasis on the needs of children in our world today. It is fitting that the scripture reading relates to an issue of church and state. It seems to me over the past several years actually since the very beginning of the United States of America, we have been trying to figure out how to make church and state work together toward a common goal of justice without infringing on the rights of either. Rather than being the prime concern of both, our children sometimes get caught in the crossfire.

The recent barrage of “my way or the highway” politics has not been helpful. Where have all the public servants gone? Where are the ones who could negotiate a viable compromise between differing ideas? Where are the leaders who consider first the common good of all? These types of leaders must be emboldened by the backing of their electorate. If we truly believe in our representative form of democracy, we must elect people of character and understanding. In that election, we must protect them from the forces of greed and power that constantly strive to overrule them. It seems we the people have given in and given up to those forces of greed and power, because many of us have quit voting. There has been no one elected to a public office in the last several years in Oklahoma that had the majority support of the people. Since the year 2000 there was only one year that a majority of those eligible to vote, actually voted. In 2004, 58.3%* of eligible voters did vote, which means anyone receiving a simple majority of eligible voters would have had to have received nearly all the votes of those who did vote.

Jesus’ way was not to legislate love but to live it. We live our love through our government when we take the time to understand the issues and work diligently to support candidates and issues that reflect our love. A part of living our love is working with others toward the common good, finding the things on which we can agree and implementing them and continuing dialogue on those issues on which we cannot agree. Let it be so.

Oklahoma Fact: In 2012, there were 937,363 children from ages 0-17, all of whom need our continuing prayers.

Prayer: Lord, embolden us to live as you love in the intricate, interdependent world in which we live. Amen

*http://elections.gmu.edu/voter_turnout.htm

**http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/2544-child-population—annual-estimates?loc=38&loct=2#detailed/2/any/false/868,867,133,38,35/214,387,1510,396,138,182,183,646,1511,1509/10934,10935

 All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

Idolatry

CampaigningLiving in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
October 6, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:1-14

 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’—Exodus 32:1

The Israelites in our scripture today were rudderless without a leader. Moses went up into the mountain and stayed longer than they had expected. In their impatience for someone or something to lead them, they built an idol. It is hard for us modern people to comprehend that anyone would think that a blob of metal shaped like a bull is anything more than a blob of metal even if it is made of gold. We should not be so quick to judge the Israelites for we do the same thing all the time, perhaps in a more sophisticated manner. We all want our cake and to eat it too. Campaign ads play into that reality.

It is election season and we are once again in search of leaders to represent us at various levels of governance. We need to keep this scripture in mind as we search for the right people to select. While their future actions will impact us, more importantly those actions will impact our children and they don’t get a vote. First, I want to encourage everyone to vote, most don’t anymore. Second, please take the time to find out from reliable sources where the various candidates stand on issues that matter and what their track records have been. I appreciate TV stations providing public forums like debates for the exchange of information. Third, I like the law that requires candidates to say or write I approved this message in their campaign ads, but have you noticed those ads have become positive platitudes. The dirty work is being done by outside groups. Personally, when I don’t hear that phrase, I tune out the ad. Fourth, I hear a lot of campaigns complaining about what other leaders are doing but I don’t hear very much about what the candidates would do themselves. My message to those candidate is that I will make up my own mind about others, tell me what you would do to solve the problems for which you are criticizing their actions.

Oklahoma Fact: In 2012, 19% of Children have one or more emotional, behavioral, or developmental conditions*

Prayer: Forgive us when we turn away from you for leadership and guidance and search for other gods to solve our problems. Guide us in our quest for governance that is truly of the people by the people for the people. We pray for all who are running for office and ask that you guide them in their sharing of information with the public. Amen.

*http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/6031-children-who-have-one-or-more-emotional-behavioral-or-developmental-conditions?loc=38&loct=2#detailed/2/38/false/1021,18/any/12694,12695

 All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.