Change Your World

I am not a political person. It might be because I have citizenship with Canada and always feel pulled between the two countries, or it could be because I’ve seen too many presidents who don’t live up to what I had hoped they would.

Don’t worry. This is not a pitch for one of the candidates. I believe my political opinions are private and rarely tell anyone who I vote for. However, elections always make me think about two things.

First, God is my King. I love fantasy ever since I read The Chronicles of Narnia at age six. Throughout the years, I have come to love the idea of a king. A good king – the kind that does only what is best for his people, the one that is the first into battle and the last to leave, the one that dies to save his kingdom. Yes, we have a president who guides this country, but God is my King. He holds my future in His hands, and He sets rulers up and takes them down. I can trust that God is in control of my life, my family, my church, and my nation. We keep looking to a candidate to save us and the country, but we already have a Savior. His name is Jesus.

Second, the government doesn’t need to change our lives; we need to change our lives. Don’t get me wrong. The government needs to change many things such as the national debt. However, I strongly believe that for society to change, the individual must first change.

We need to step up. Our country was founded by people who went out, made change, and improved their lives. Need money? Get a job instead of waiting for the government to give you more handouts. No jobs where you live? North Dakota has jobs. Alaska does, too. Granted, North Dakota isn’t the prime place to live, (Sorry, everyone who lives there) but it’s a job. It’s time to work, get out of debt, and then use our money to boost the economy. That’s a fancy way of saying: then you can spend your cash on whatever you want!

We also need to evaluate what we are doing as a church body. I firmly believe that it’s not the government’s job to take care of the poor; it’s the church’s job. I heard someone once say that Christians should always bring good wherever they go, whether it’s to believers or non-believers. How often have you given something to a homeless person? Maybe you think they should get a job first. Jesus never told anyone, “Go get a job and then I’ll heal you.” No, he meant their needs first. Have you or the church done anything to help the homeless, the poor, the children hungry at school? These times are hard on people, but we can pull together and show the world what the kingdom of God is all about.

Change is our responsibility.

So, get out and vote because it’s a great honor and responsibility to be able to select your government.  But don’t expect Washington to bring great change to you. Instead, start bringing the change you want to see to your life and those around you.

Have you voted? Here’s a better question: Have you changed your life or anyone’s life around you?