A Life in Exile

I don’t often write about politics, for obvious reasons, but on this crisp fall day, elections are on my mind. Just like most Americans who happen to flip on the news or scroll through social media, I’m tired of hearing about the midterms. Still, I know that once November 4^th is past, the talk will immediately be about the 2028 election cycle. It’s the nature of the beast in America, but today I am grateful for it. Why? Because it is a reminder that in this country, we have the freedom to vote.

Some backstory

I lived for over twenty years in six different countries of the world, when I served as a missionary as a single woman and then while married to my late husband. I’ve lived under dictators and “presidents” who stayed in power for decades. Yes, there may have been elections, but they were far from free and open. Opposition candidates disappeared or were smeared and given no time in the press.

Christians who lived in these countries often sighed at the thought that things would ever change. There was no encouragement to vote, because the outcome was set from the beginning. Any change that came to most of these countries came through protests, riots, or military coups. In every case, innocent civilians suffered and died; things did not necessarily get better.

While overseas, I always cast my ballot in local, state, and national elections as an absentee voter. Why? Because I knew that in my country, my vote mattered. I saw what it looked like when it didn’t, and I didn’t want that for my country.

A representative form of government

For anyone who studies American history, it’s not always easy to understand the makeup of our government system. As a constitutional republic, our government operates with checks and balances to make sure the representative rule is maintained and no one side makes all the decisions. Power is divided between a national government and state governments, and the power is defined and limited by a written constitution. We are a democracy, but not a direct democracy. Representatives are elected by citizens to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf.

Not only do I have a wider worldview that affects my view toward my own nation, but I also read about the history of my country and the world at large. Recently, I read Friedrich Hayek’s book, The Road to Serfdom, written in 1944, at a time when many in Britain were intrigued by the ideas of fascism, Nazism, and socialism. He warned of the dangers of economic decision-making by one central authority, and he saw what had happened in Germany and feared its acceptance in other nations. He wrote that “Hitler did not have to destroy democracy. He just had to take advantage of decaying democracy.”

I realized, as I read this and listened to his pushback against the growing socialism of his day, that he could have easily written it in 2026. As people continue to “give up” their right to vote and roll over to the loudest voices calling for change, our democracy is weakened. Our democracy is weakened when we don’t vote and also when we don’t study the candidates we are voting for. Rubber-stamping one party’s line-up, because you’ve always voted that party, is turning over your conscience to others. You fail to do your due diligence by making sure they really align with your beliefs and principles.

Vote while you can

This representative form of government will only last as long as citizens of the United States continue to take seriously their right and responsibility to vote. Avoiding the polls or voting without studying the candidates will lead to the loss of our rights in the years to come—and sooner than we might expect.

Along with my worldview and study of history, as a Christian, I recognize two things about my right as an American citizen to vote. First, I know that God has ordained government to maintain law and order, i.e., to push back against chaos. (See Romans 13:1-6, 1 Peter 2:13-14, 1 Timothy 2:1-2). Second, as long as I am able, I will vote for those who are closest to the ideals I hold dear, according to my faith. That doesn’t mean everyone I vote for must be a Christian (and some who call themselves Christian don’t seek those same ideals), but that I try to choose candidates who align with what I believe to be right, true, and good for my country.

We are privileged, as American Christians, to be able to choose our leaders. Not all Christians in this world have that right. The first believers were living under the pagan Roman Empire, which often actively moved against them with persecution. We know no such opposition yet in this country. Our votes, as Christians, help to keep this at bay.

Every election matters

Local and mid-term election cycles seem petty in the grand scheme of things, but they remain important. We should not neglect to take an interest in local issues, from school boards, city and county commissions, to mayors, state governors and representatives. Mid-term elections are known to change the balance of power on a national level, but there are also local issues included that should not be ignored.

Voting is easier today than ever, and as Americans, we should take the time to cast our ballot anytime we have the opportunity. When elections are ignored or taken for granted, they may soon be taken away. Don’t miss your chance to let your voice be heard. Vote

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Wednesday Wisdom, click HERE, or check out these posts on citizenship and voting: Being an American Missionary in a Presidential Election Year, Patriotism: Right or Wrong?, Where Our Loyalties Lie, The Morning After, and Citizenship.