Civic Responsibility
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan. – Proverbs 29:2.
In Brazil, a former manager of a McDonald’s franchise has sued McDonald’s. The court did not reveal the identity of the 32-year-old man. The former manager is suing because he gained 65 pounds during his employment. He claims it is because the franchise offers free food to employees, and he felt compelled to sample the food to maintain quality. The former manager is seeking $17,500 in compensation for damages.
There are some things that we are responsible for, and we should take responsibility for them. If we choose to overeat, and to eat foods high in fat content, we ought to be prepared to accept the consequences of those choices.
If we live in a country where we have the freedom to vote for our leaders, it is a civic responsibility to do so. The result of the failure to exercise our freedom, and civic responsibility by voting, may be our having to endure bad leadership.
In the United States, we are having an election on Tuesday and it will determine the course of the country for at least the next two years. We have the freedom to vote, and we have little to fear by going to the polls, and voting. In some places, as in Iraq, voting in the past has meant that you must risk your life. Not so, in the United States. Why then is voter turn out so low? According to the Federal Election Commission, turnout for the 2008 election was only 56.8%.
There are a wide variety of reasons given for a lack of voter participation. The number one reason appears to be cluelessness, or a failure understand the need to participate in the process. Another reason given is the failure to register to vote. It does take some effort to register, and it does take some effort to actually vote. So, the underlying reason for this reason for not voting is laziness. Others avoid registering to vote so that they will not have to participate in other civic responsibilities; such as, jury duty. Then there is the feeling that many express, that their vote will not make any difference. So, why make the effort, when it is thought that it will not matter any way?
Why is it that we pay our bills, make a living, obey the laws, pay our taxes and all those other things that we are expected to do? It is called being responsible. It is expected as responsible human beings that we do those things. Voting ought to be on that list of things we do in order to fulfill our responsibilities as well. Not only should we vote to fulfill our civic responsibility, but we should vote to fulfill our moral responsibility. If there were only two people voting in an election; and you failed to vote resulting in a terrible leader being elected, it is obvious that would be a moral failure to fulfill your responsibility. Even though there are millions of people voting, just because there are more people making the decision, that does not lessen your responsibility before God.
Tomorrow is an important day in the United States. If we want to have righteous leaders who will make decisions that will be pleasing to God, it is critical that we vote. I hope that you will not only vote, but also that you will search your heart as to how God would want you to vote, prior to marking your ballot.
(Not only should we vote to fulfill our civic responsibility, but we should vote to fulfill our moral responsibility.)