I've said it before, and I'll say it again

I'm partisan. I have particular political preferences. And I'm a little too eager to engage others in political discussions, both with people I agree (politically) with and with people I disagree with. These conversations are with people inside the Church (from both sides of the political aisle) as well as those outside the Church (again, from both angles). So ... full disclosure ... I'm partisan.

But, I've concluded that partisanship is not the best scale for determining my vote. I don't need to abandon my political preferences, but for years, now, I've been gravitating away from deciding my vote based on who is the most partisan for my particular views. I still vote for people even if they have strong views, but I don't regard the strength of their partisanship as the most important factor in casting my vote.

My thinking is this: In the last generation, we've watched this litmus test (who is the most partisan for my view) create a crippled Congress session after session. Why? Because we voted the most partisan people we could find - using that as our criteria. So, of course, we're going to end up with gridlock! We chose the most bull-headed, unbending people as if unbending bull-headedness was going to fix up Washington (or Topeka, or wherever).

Perhaps finding the most belligerently partisan candidate is not the best way to choose. So then, how then should I vote?

I will not tell you who you should vote for in any of the elections. But I would offer this as a general voting consideration: Which candidates (in any election) are more likely to display the kind of wisdom we find in the Bible? There is a wealth of wisdom found in the Bible that is good for everyone to follow, regardless of where they are in their faith. I would rather vote for someone who displays that kind of wisdom than for someone who makes a bunch of noise about his faith but rarely ever displays that wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 10 declares woe to the city that has a fool for a leader. Not someone who fails a political litmus test, not someone who isn't overtly religious, but someone who is a fool. The implication is that there are blessings for the city that has wise leaders.

Think of it this way: Who we want in leadership: the most partisan people we can find or the wisest people we can find? And I can't think of many people who display both qualities.

The Easiest Voters' Guide

The elections are coming up quickly, which always raises the question of what I should say. The law allows me to say some things, but not others (and generally speaking, these are guidelines that I think are pretty good). It would be inappropriate and unethical (more than just illegal) for me to use my privileged position to unduly influence the process.

I can endorse causes and principles. I can inform on particular issues. I cannot endorse particular candidates. Nor do I want to.

But I like to take a different angle on the issue of elections. (Why should I start being normal now?)

Ecclesiastes has a lot to say about wisdom and politics. In 7:19, the "Teacher" (1:1) says that "Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city." In 9:13-16, he shows how wisdom in a ruler is better than power. And in 10:16-17, he compares a land that has a foolish ruler with a land that has a wise and noble leader - the difference between "woe" and "blessed."

The blessing for the land comes through wise rulers. Biblical wisdom is the most important quality in a political leader, in my opinion. I have personal opinions about left v. right politics, but I am more interested in having a wise ruler than a ruler who shares my political views. "Wisdom," of course, in terms of God's wisdom, not worldly wisdom. When I choose between candidates, my first thought is not on which letter is in parentheses after their names on the ballot. My first thought is, "Who do I think will display more of God's wisdom?"

Instead of voting along party lines, I want to vote along wisdom lines. I believe it will fair far better for our land if our rulers are wise by God's definition.

Some of you may say, "Well, if they are really wise in God's eyes, then they will be from the XYZ political party - since that's what is wise!" I can easily point to exceptions to this rule from any party you want to pick. Whether or not one party is more or less likely to produce a biblically wise person is not my point - I simply want to consider biblical wisdom when choosing for whom to vote, and to make sure that all other factors are less important in my decision process.

I would say, however, that choosing not to vote is unwise more often than not. Please exercise this rare privilege. And imagine what would happen to our land if more and more of our leaders displayed biblical wisdom.

(Congratulations to our new American citizen, Julie, who will be able to vote for the first time!)