Thoughts on voting and the prophetic journey towards reconciliation.

Many people have probably heard me say, “I use my vote to vote for something, not against something.”

Staying true to that axiom, for the first time in three elections, I didn’t vote for Ralph Nader. I actually voted for a major party candidate for the presidency.

Two things that will win my vote no matter what the rest of your platform is:

I feel like your telling me the truth. No BS. I vote for the most honest person in the room. The one who has nothing to lose and is a straight shooter. The one who doesn’t just play the game of fame politics, but is driven to achieve goals that are self-actualized in the character of the individual.
Your definition of “Life” is from the womb to the tomb! Abortion is a hot issue, especially for Christians. But in my neighborhood, so is being a teen mom (in 2004, North Minneapolis had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation). Life is not just about bringing kids into the world, it’s about what are we going to do with them once they’re here. How will we care? How will we show it? What will we do to support young moms? I tend to think that poverty is the reason the abortion rate is so high, not just because women have the right to have them. A whole-life policy is what we need, not just regulation and restriction.

And so that’s what I voted for. I voted for people I felt were charismatic truth-tellers, with an agenda of compassion, mercy and justice for the holistic life of all individuals.

I was stirred by the speeches last night. John McCain was honorable to say the least. Barack Obama was electric, hopeful and palpable.

Attending and working at a large multi-ethnic church, changes the way you vote, and checks your motive. The energy and excitement in my community is encouraging and celebratory this morning.

One of my African American co-workers shared with me about crying during Obama’s speech last night. I realized that I was too. That my wife was too. That reconciliation, the motivation for this whole thing we call church was happening in those shared moments across town. That despite platforms and politics, the journey of African-Americans towards prophetic deliverance from the shackles of the past, was one giant step closer to the goal of reconciliation.

I thank God for that shared experience and look forward to the journey ahead. And I move forward knowing that we did it together. We shared the experience. I’m excited for you and me.