An Ongoing Campaign

Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. (Psalm 9:11 NIV)

By the time you read this, the election season will finally be over, for which I will be very glad. Few things frustrate me more than modern day politics. We see and hear one negative attack ad after another, often with image manipulation and words taken out of context. The focus is more on turning voters away from the opposition than promoting a candidate’s own values. The candidates’ priority seems to have become looking good for the media and simply getting elected or re-elected, rather than speaking and acting in the best interest of the body they are trying to serve.

Yet there is a direct parallel between the original aims of the political process and our lives as Christians. Jesus calls us to make disciples of others and be living example of His love, grace and mercy. So in essence, we are constantly campaigning for Him. Our goal is to lead others into fellowship with Him, to get them to “turn out” and commit their lives to Him. We strive to counter demons, hate and hardship with the message of the Gospel.

And like any politician, we can go astray if we do not approach our task in the right state of mind. If we always aim to stay in our own comfort zone or accomplish personal goals in conjunction with sharing the message, we are not likely to reach all its intended recipients or come across properly. This is an ongoing process, not limited to August through October of an even-numbered year.

We also campaign through prayer. We respond to the negatives in this world by regular intercession and interaction with God. We give ourselves wholly and unconditionally to Him, bearing the needs of those around us. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. We seek to unleash His power so that those who are conformed to this world can meet Him and experience the joys of His kingdom.

Here’s the best part: this campaign is always positive. It’s never about blatant accusations or “fear mongering”, but about unconditional love and acceptance and saving lives. It does not cost insane sums of money, but only what we can put into it. We will be put on the spot at times, but we do not necessarily have to deliver a knockout speech. The simplest acts of helping others can speak immeasurable volumes. There are no party lines or swing states. We are all on the Lord’s side, and every person matters. Advertising Him through acts of worship is a rewarding experience for us, and can benefit others. This is the politics I want to be involved in.

And I can’t think of a better affirmation than hearing His voice say, “I’m God, and I approved this message.”

This article was originally published on November 8, 2012, and it’s still true today. Daniel can be reached by email here.