Love God. Love your Neighbor. Vote!
With another election rolling around, it’s hard to ignore the flood of campaign signs, negative ads, and constant arguing. It gets exhausting. But for those of us trying to live out our faith, it brings up a really important question: what does it actually look like to engage in politics faithfully? Have you seen our new sign in front of the Church? The message reads: “Love God. Love your Neighbor. Vote!”
When we think about how "loving your neighbor" translates to the ballot box, it comes down to real, everyday issues. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan... “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Luke 10:27)
Voting is basically a tool to practice neighborly love on a larger scale.
We love our neighbors when we vote for things like clean water, accessible
healthcare, good schools, and safe streets. A vote isn't just a private opinion; it’s a public statement about who we think matters. Not voting is also a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome.
As the parable of the Good Samaritan also informs us: we need to take responsibility for our actions, as well as our lack of actions. (Luke 10:25-37)
To be honest, it’s not about giving loyalty to any political party. Instead, it’s about letting our deepest values guide our civic choices.
Faith should inform our vote by challenging us to look beyond our own personal interests or bank accounts. It forces us to ask a tougher question: how will these policies impact the most vulnerable people in our community?
This election, let’s try to drop the fear and anger. Let’s approach the ballot box with a genuine commitment to the common good. If we center our choices on love, justice, and compassion, we can turn voting from a source of division into a meaningful way to serve our community.
Faithfully yours,
Church and Society team
