One day a few months ago I actually went into the bank for a couple of transactions that I could not accomplish at the drive-in window or on-line. As strange as it may seem, I was forced to stand in a long, slow line of check-cashers and corporate accounts to take care of my personal business. Of course, being the patient person that I am this was not a problem, unless talking under your breath and glaring at the tellers is in fact, a problem. Huffing and puffing may be an indication also.
When I finally arrived at the teller station and explained what I needed to do, the teller went straight to work. In a flurry of activity she made my transfers, took my payments, accepted my deposit, processed mounds of paper, did a bevy of cash-in and cash-out slips, debits and credits, and finally got around to the final transaction: cashing a check someone had given me. After all of this she said, "I'll need to see your ID."
Now, I had just accessed several accounts, moved some money around between them, made a car payment, and conducted some pretty intricate banking business. Remember, I used to work for a bank and I know all about rules and regulations, the FDIC, federal bank examiners, bait money, and bad checks. Remember also that Harriet and I have banked with this bank for more than twenty-five years. By the way, let me also confess that I had left my wallet in the car. My ID was in the wallet, in the car. This means move to the back of the line. Do not pass go. Arghhhhhhh! Or perhaps #%@&*!!
Here's the connection, and I've gone the long way to get there. Next Tuesday we're going to the polls. It will be perhaps the most important election of our lifetime, the most significant polarities in history between the parties and the candidates. Never before have the differences been so alarming, so starkly contrasted. When you go, don't leave your ID in the car.
Now, I'm not talking about your driver's license or voter registration card. I'm talking about your personal identity, your faith. The secular media and the people way over there on the left have argued that faith actually has no place in the electoral processes. Truly, they would prefer that people of faith leave their core values and belief systems in the car, go to the voting booth without convictions, violate our most cherished personal ideals by ignoring the spiritual dimensions of it all.
Of a truth, this cannot be done. According to the Word of God, Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4). He is the most significant component of our personal identity, central to our understanding of self. When we go to the polling place we cannot leave our identity in the car.
If you can, there's a problem! And the consequences of this problem are much worse than electing the wrong national and local leaders. Need to talk about it?
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