Jim Daly Christian Blog and Commentary

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Why You Should Vote This Election Day

  • Jim Daly Jim Daly is president and chief executive officer of Focus on the Family, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families thrive.
  • Updated Aug 25, 2016

Buckle up, everyone, the final stretch of election season is just around the corner.

I’ve talked to a lot of people recently who are feeling apathetic about our nation’s political situation. Enthusiasm for either presidential candidate is virtually non-existent, and the battle for morality has been waging in our country for decades. A lot of people are just plain tired.

Some of us may even be tempted to stay home instead of voting this fall. While I can understand the growing sense of “political fatigue” gripping so many, I want to challenge you not to do that.

The system is sick. We know that. But I think we forget that our system of government was designed to be, as Lincoln proclaimed at Gettysburg, “of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Politics is nothing but an expression of culture, so if politics is sick, it’s because the culture is sick.

I believe God has commissioned each of us as Christians to play an active and vibrant role in our culture by being living witnesses of Christ’s love and truth. The trouble is, the boundary line between politics and faith has become increasingly blurry for many.

So what is the role of the Christian in this modern era of public policy?

On our radio program today, we’ll get some help on this topic from one of America’s greatest statesmen – the late Chuck Colson – whose godly wisdom and cultural insights are still relevant today.

In our conversation, recorded in 2010, Chuck foresaw so much of the confusion we’re now seeing in our political system. When people believe politics is the answer to all of their problems, he said, we are deluded and headed for tyranny.

That is a dire warning, indeed.

To alter that course, he suggests we remember something said by Daniel Webster, a leading American statesman from the 1800’s: “Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.”

Chuck was a wonderful mentor to me – especially during the transition time here at Focus on the Family when I took over the reins of leadership.  Chuck passed away in 2012 after 35 years of dedicated ministry, serving hundreds of thousands of prisoners through Prison Fellowship, and working as a Christian statesman, uplifting the truth of God’s Word.

If you’re thinking of staying home on election day, I hope you’ll join us for this program called “Putting Your Faith into Action.” You can find it on your local radio station, online, or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.

 

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Publication date: August 25, 2016