Not just another election

Leap year means a lot of things to people, but it is technically just a way to "balance" the calendar every four years or so to keep it in alignment with the astronomical year (the one we base our seasons upon).  All other years in the calendar are called "common years".  There is nothing "special" about them. If you speak with someone who understands this astronomical calendar thing to the "nth degree", they'd tell you the 365 day a year calendar pattern would cause a "drift" in the tracking of seasons if this adjustment did not take place.   In the United States, leap year usually ends up being the year we launch into electing the next President.  I wonder if this "election year" corresponds with leap year because it is our way as a nation of dealing with the "drift" which somehow manages to occur in our nation when a leader has lost popularity or seems to come under criticism from the masses?  Just wondering!

Elegant speech sounds odd when it comes from a fool, and a lie on the lips of a leader is even more out of place! (Proverbs 17:7 VOICE)

As a reminder, in election years everywhere, we hear all manner of "promises", "debate", and "profound statements" on international, national, and even personal matters.  Some will be memorable and we will "take them to the bank" on election day.  Others will fall upon deaf ears and almost go unnoticed by the masses.  We are swayed by what we hear, aren't we?  This is the whole purpose of "campaigning" and "debating" - to win over the masses in order to win the vote. What comes out of the lips of these potential future leaders becomes the thing we hang our hope on as we head to the electoral booths in November.  

Elegant speech may not always be the measure of a truly wise man or woman, though! I can provide you with a good many examples of when my own "elegant speech" didn't match up to what I said I would do or what I had already done!  It is truly an odd things these days to evaluate a man or woman who assumes the role of leadership based upon lifestyle or past accomplishments/failures.  We seem to rely upon the campaigning as a means of establishing the truth about their character.  If we looked a little deeper at the matters of the heart, we might just get a more reliable and "balanced" leader!  

So, I am not on a soap box this morning, but wanted more to remind those of us who will participate in the election of our next leader to do just a few things which I think might must make a difference if we do:

1)  It is absolutely necessary for us to ask God for his perspective on the matters at hand.  God doesn't remain silent about matters which are common to mankind - things like poverty, sickness, and even hatred.  He has guidance for us which might just help us "weed out" those who don't have God's perspective on how to "deal with" the matters at hand in our nation.

2)  It is imperative to listen beyond the words which are spoken and to evaluate as much "history" of the candidate's life before casting our vote in their direction.  Although pasts can be riddled with stuff we'd all like to forget, the examining of the "historical aspects" of a candidate's career and even their personal pursuits can give us insight into the types of patterns they repeat.  It is unlikely they will change their spots just because they get elected to office!

3)  It is essential to be attentive to the issues at hand in this election climate.  Many will zero in on what they believe to be the "big" issues, such as terrorism, bullying in schools, or the like.  All of these are indeed valid issues to address, but there are other "social" and "spiritual" issues our nation needs the skilled guidance of the right leader to navigate through each and every day.  We must never lose sight of the "many" issues in deference to the most "prominent" or "media worthy".

Just a few thoughts as we see the months unfold before us leading up to the next Presidential election.  It may not be the most "spiritual" of lessons today, but it is "practical" and I know we serve a very practical God who wants us to use our every "sense" to help guide us in our choices this year.  It could just be that our "wisdom" in voting this year is what helps to bring back the "balance" our nation needs. Just sayin!