By Pastor Jose Rodriguez

Perhaps you have heard statements like these before:

• “If you don’t vote, you forfeit your right to complain.”

• “Why should I vote? The winner has already been chosen.”

• “Why should I vote? Nothing is going to change.”

• “Why should I vote? The system is rigged anyway.”

I’ve lived long enough to have witnessed the church give up on getting involved in politics. The pendulum swung so far to one side that there is uncertainty whether it will ever swing back far enough to stop the downward spiral that our nation is experiencing.

Election after election, we hear the continued drumming of how fewer people are voting across the board, both in primaries and general elections. This may actually present Christians with an opportunity. An actual vote cast in today’s environment can carry a greater impact. It is an opportunity that should not escape young people as they grow into voting age.

Young people are the future. They are exposed to a lot of noise out there. If they could set it aside for a bit, I am confident that they would see some very good reasons why they should care about voting. 

They should care because eventually the country will be in their hands, and voting is a big part of taking care of the country.

• Voting can be a training ground for activism. 

• Voting is a window into how government works. 

• Voting shows you government in practice.

• Voting forces one to become informed on the issues of the day, and to learn about the candidates.

Young people generally have a long life ahead of them. They need to exercise their voice to help shape what that future will look like.

The nominal Christian, along with unbelievers and believers in other faith systems, could, and do argue that issues of the day have no connection to scripture. Isn’t it interesting that when the Bible had a greater influence in the society, no one argued for the legalization of polyamorist unions, pedophilia, post-birth abortions, euthanasia, recreational drug use, and so on?

For Christians who are serious about their faith, it is a matter of stewardship and discipleship. It doesn’t require a deep dive into the Bible to see that it is very relevant to the issues of the day. It is easy to make a connection between the casting aside of prayer in the schools, and of taking Christian discourse out of the public square, with current dysfunctions in American society, such as high crime rates, abortion, same sex marriage, and so on. 

Young people need to test their belief systems. An open mind that rightly considers truth claims, will arrive at the conclusion that Christianity has a lot to offer in the public square.  Once that has been decided, participation is a logical next step if the youth of today want to live in a country that will provide fair opportunity for them to prosper and succeed in life.

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