Does it make a difference who wins the election?

Hello, my name is Ron Blue, and I’m asked many times, “does it make a difference who is elected this year in our presidential election?” I would answer that yes and no.  Yes from this standpoint:  yes, in terms of their long term economic and tax policies.  There are differences.  How they intend on funding the needs of the government and how they intend on instituting tax policies is certainly of financial ramification.  So, yes it does make a difference long term.
But, in the short term, it really doesn’t make any difference who is elected.

I was asked some time ago, “What is the key economic indicator that I look at?” My answer is my checkbook, because the only thing that I have control over is my checkbook.  You know, who’s elected, I’m interested in that and I have an opinion on that.  The reality is that whoever’s elected, the only thing I can ultimately control is my own checkbook.  I’m going to be responding to however these presidential candidates would implement economic and tax policy, but I can’t really control that except by my vote.  And I can control how I handle my checkbook.

 When I’m thinking about who is elected, I’m reminded of some Old Testament characters.  You know Daniel and Joseph and Nehemiah and Esther all lived under kings who were not favorable to the nation of Israel.  They were living in captivity.  They were slaves. And yet they were able to prosper during those times. They did what they could do.

Daniel maintained his convictions and he became a tremendous witness to God’s goodness and grace.

Joseph followed God’s principles and he was one of the great planners in the Bible.  He planned for the seven years of abundance, and because he had seven years of abundance he was able to turn that into incredible economic prosperity for the nation of Egypt.  The Pharaoh of Egypt ended up owning all of Egypt as a result of Joseph’s good planning.  And he was living under a king who did not know God.

Nehemiah was another one.  He was a cupbearer to the king.  He ended up rebuilding the walls and reestablishing to a large extent the self confidence of the nation of Israel when the walls were rebuilt.

Esther, you know what the famous words were from Mordecai,  “who knows, Esther, it may be for such a time as this.”

So, no matter who is elected president, it may be for such a time as this that you and I have the opportunity to hold up ourselves as a witness to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.


Click here for the October 30, 2008 Blog Entry