I spent last weekend knocking on doors in one of the most important election races in Oklahoma. Not because I had nothing else to do. And certainly not because I love to knock on doors of random strangers…it’s probably my least favorite thing to do in a campaign. I did it because of the urgency of the hour. It takes prayer and action.
The conversations that day were very revealing.
Probably 60% of the people we talked to said they were planning on voting in the June 18 primary, but they didn’t yet know who they were voting for. Considering we were just days away from the election, I was surprised. What I’m finding is that it is pretty typical actually because doing all the research on candidates takes lots of time and it’s hard to find accurate info. And if they have never held office even harder.
Political flyers are just propaganda pieces. A candidate can say whatever they want to look good. No one would put their bad history on a flyer. I’ve read some that are just outrageous lies. I’m sure you have too.
But then there are the other issues such as, “but I know them personally!” I got that one a few times, when we shared information about a voting record that contradicted what the individual believed about the candidate. Here’s the deal, voting records don’t lie—but people do. Doesn’t matter what they say when it contradicts how they voted.
Or when we get triggered… One lady I talked with was a poll worker. She became indignant when I shared facts of election fraud and the voting machines. As a poll worker, doing her best to ensure there was no voter fraud, that outraged her to suggest that some had been found and refused any information at that point, convinced of her truth over the facts. (click the hyperlink above to watch the election fraud taking place on mail-in ballots. Note: you have to watch it in Telegram. Sorry.)
Another individual was enraged over someone I said I was voting for that they hated. So they disregarded my entire voter guide and unsubscribed. Triggers can be dangerous.
Deception has an open door when we allow ourselves to hold to already established beliefs unwilling to consider other information. We should always be willing to research and look at facts, not just a five minute search on Google and the “fact checkers” either. How much we like a candidate’s speech or that they attend our church should not be our criteria for voting for someone.
All that to say, we are in the season of elections. It is imperative that we research and vote with knowledge. For those in Oklahoma, here is my Oklahoma voter guide if you are interested. If you live elsewhere you might consider i-voterguide.com. I haven’t found it to always be accurate, but then again, there have been things I would change on mine after it was published, when additional information comes out. But at least these are places to start to help vote with knowledge. Guessing or voting for the individual because you recognize their name can sometimes just be reaffirming a vote to keep a bad legislator, judge or councilman in office.
Father, You said if we ask for wisdom You would give it to us. So we ask for wisdom when it comes to the upcoming elections and who we will vote for. As we enter this election season may there be nothing that remains hidden from public view, which shall not be manifested; neither anything kept secret. Allow it all to come into the light so that we can vote with knowledge and for candidates who are for America and not against it.
Where we have been triggered by something a candidate has said, help us to see beyond our triggers to truth and intent. Help us to not bypass the right candidate just because of something we don’t like. Help us to look closely at those we have voted for in the past, to understand if they are still trustworthy, and help us to find accurate information, so that we can vote with knowledge.
We declare that our elections will not be tampered with through absentee ballots, early voting, voting machine changes in algorithms, internet access, or any other way that has been used in the past. We pray that our polling places will be protected and safe as well as the workers. Where ballot stuffing occurred in the past—we declare that those avenues will be shut down and inaccessible.
Father, we pray that our Constitution will be upheld, and for candidates to be elected who will hold fast to it. Where some candidates have said one thing, but in their hearts plan to operate differently, expose the intent of their hearts and may it come out of their mouths in public arenas. For we know from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
We pray that only legal citizens will be allowed to vote and any others will be stopped. We thank you for the privilege of living in a country where we have the right to vote and help choose our leaders. We declare a hedge of protection that it will not be stolen from us, but remain.
James 1:5, Mark 4:22, Luke 6:45