FAIR WARNING: THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL POST!
Choices
Everyone… no, really, it literally seems that everyone… is talking about the election for President of the United states which will take place next month. Mud is being slung. Opinions are being aired. Decisions are being made.
But regardless of which side you come down on, everyone says we need to get out and vote. And it is an important privilege we have as free citizens in this wonderful country. When we vote, we say in essence, “I want this person to be my leader, to call the shots that affect how I will live.”
Get Out The Vote
In Louisiana, we have a funny statement we use when we encourage people to cast their vote… We say, “Vote early and vote often!” It’s a joke nowadays, but I’m sure there was probably a period in time when it was an actual practice. People made their choice… again and again… and again. ha!
Smile or Glare
And the truth is, we each have the opportunity every day to vote early and vote often. We have the privilege to choose kindness or unkindness. I can either vote to be kind to others, or I can vote to be selfish, rude, and unkind. I can vote to smile at people or glare at them. I can vote to speak words that build them up or words that tear them down.
Two candidates which produce two very different outcomes. And it seems like the choice should be crystal clear. Yet somehow, we seem to struggle with the decision.
Polls Are Always Open
Each morning when we wake up, we have to decide all over again which lever we will pull. And the struggle begins subtly within us. But unlike our closely watched political elections for president here in the U.S., we can and must vote both early and often each day for which attitude will be supreme in our our lives. The opportunity and responsibility is presented to us regularly…
Traffic jam? Time to vote.
Someone in the store rude to you? Time to vote.
Tough day at work? Time to vote.
Kids misbehaving? Time to vote.
You see, the Apostle Paul writes that our lives are never free from this kind of choice… the choice between being led by the Holy Spirit or being led by our own self-nature. It was a choice that Adam & Eve made every day. And it is a choice we each still make all throughout every day of each of our lives.
Which Lever To Pull?
I wish that I could tell you that I always vote the same way, that I always get it right and vote kindness. But that wouldn’t be accurate. And that’s why I’m so grateful for His grace. He forgives my poor choices and lets me try again. Yet I can tell you that I want to (and try really hard to) vote kindness regularly.
Voter’s Guide
Scripture tells us that one facet or aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is kindness. It also points out that when God wants to bring about transformation in our lives, He treats us with kindness… It’s His kindness that leads to repentance. How about that for fundamentally transforming people’s lives?
Change We Can See
At the retirement celebration for Rev. Joe Granberry, District Superintendent for the South Texas Assemblies of God, the Assistant General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God from Springfield, MO, Alton Garrison said of him, “When he walks into a room, he changes the atmosphere.” And to quote the Sidewalk Prophets I add my vote, “I want to live like that!”
Make Our Lives Great Again
Do we realize that we can be the change we want to see in others? (Thanks for letting me borrow that great quote, Ghandi.) By simply treating others the way God treats us, we can change hearts… change minds… change situations!
What if we began to spread kindness on social media and in daily conversations? What if we were kind at home, at work and around our community?
Let’s make it more personal, what is one simple suggestion you could give me and anyone reading this post to help us vote kindness on a regular basis?
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