Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

John 18:36

Election fever is high, tomorrow polls will open.  Then what?

Here in USA everyone is encouraged to vote.  Christians are all over the map on this one.  My denomination, the Mennonites, do not have a united voice on this either.  Traditionally if Mennonites got into politics at all it was local politics.  In my home we talked a lot about politics, etc., but as I recall we never took a position on any of the issues.

Now, some Mennonites are running for national and other offices.  Votes follow, of course.  They have friends and supporters.

This is a huge turn around.  Anabaptists in Switzerland and France and along the Rhine, in the early years of the movement, did not even consider getting involved in national politics.  When many moved to the United States, they met a new political environment – they were expected to participate in ruling by at least voting.  A few did but the majority did not.

I am not unhappy about this.  My concern is that any role that Christians have in society, they are committed first to the Kingdom of God, and only secondarily to the kingdoms of this world.  They have opinions, like others, but do not always use the vote to demand rights.