On 23 November we are again asked to make a choice of who will lead Australia for at least the next four years. From time to time people will ask me which leader should a Christian choose? John Howard/Peter Costello or Kevin Rudd.
It is a difficult question for the leader of a church to answer. It is not as simple as claiming one or the other goes to church and so they should get my vote. I can recall watching a documentary on a notorious serial killer in the USA known to the police as "BTK". He operated for years before the police tracked him down, only to discover he was the president of the local church board! Being a church goer proves nothing.
Election campaigns are also not much help. They are targeted at people's weakness not their strength. They play on fear and greed and appeal to the self centred nature of man. Many will vote purely on the basis of "what's in it for me" with little regard to whether it is good for the country, or whether there is the slightest bit of truth in the fear campaign. Still others will vote on the leader's moral stands in a vain effort to legislate morality.
So what does the Christian do? While I might agree with some of the stances taken by those who campaign on moral grounds, I firmly believe it is the church's responsibility to change morality via the advancement of the Gospel not through legislation. Get the Gospel to enough people and they will sort out the legislators in time. So I never vote on moral grounds alone.
Jesus never got political! He just got on with the business of spreading the good news of the Kingdom of God. We however, are obliged to get political, at least once every four years. But our choice should be based on issues that were paramount in the heart of Jesus.
Ask yourself who has the best policy on Social Justice- Rudd or Howard. Who has the best record of integrity? Rudd or Howard. Who will benefit the poor- Rudd or Howard? Ask yourself not whether the economy is booming but whether families are booming with it?
Who is more humble? Rudd or Howard (or Costello who will succeed him).
If you don't know the answers to these questions find them out. Ask yourself more of the same kind for matters of faithfulness, integrity, justice, mercy for these are what matter to God. Not the current interest rate.
A Christian should think carefully about their vote, pray for wisdom and be free to vote as they see fit. No church should be owned by one party or the other; nor own one party and not the other.
On November 23rd- as a Christian, don't let others think for you, or be influenced by fear campaigns or smear campaigns or appeals to self. Use your greatest gift- the wisdom from above James 3:17 for it is far above such pettiness. Use it and bless the country with a considered choice.
