POLITICS: THE POSITIVE ROLE OF CHRISTIANS IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION

SPIRITUAL GIFTS CONTINUED
November 16, 2015
ARE YOU AWARE OF MINISTRY PLATEAU?
December 17, 2015

In the next few months Ugandans will be going to the polls to elect their political leaders right from the grass –roots to the president.  It so happens that even our friends in the USA are is the same season. 
The question always comes to mind, whom should I give my vote; which party should I choose.  As Christians what is our role in politics or in choosing the people who will lead us.
There has always been a saying here in Uganda that: “politics is a dirty game” and a feeling that as Christians we should keep away from anything that can contaminate us.  The result has been many Christians shying away from running for elective offices and many people not even participating in voting.  The end result has been getting into office people whose values are contrary to ours and at worst creating laws that are oppressive to Christians.
One great statesman in Great Britain once wrote: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that, good men do nothing.”  Edmund Burke
If we do not go to the polls, those who do will determine who the next leaders will be.
When Christians shy away from standing to be voted, then non-Christians will, and in the end we shall loose our opportunity to influence the future direction of our nation.

OUR ROLE DURING THIS SEASON
1.     Prayer
       Matthew 6:9-10 calls on us to pray for God’s will and for God’s kingdom rule on the earth.  In prayer we can engage heaven in determining the future of our nation.  We can put a stop to the violence that often characterizes our campaign season.

2.     Get involved

a)     If you feel a call to become a politician, please go for it and boldly express yourself.

b)     Support those that are standing, through: prayer, counsel, financial support, and moral support.

c)      Support those leaders that will bring in the values that honor our God.  Not all future leaders will be Born-Again Christians but amongst those standing there are those that will have a respect for God, support family values, those that are not corrupt and those that will respect human rights.  In every region there will be people standing, your decision should primarily be the person with values and then you may consider the party.

3.     Go to the polls

Several years ago, Kampala voted in a mayor that surprised the whole world and all of us who were around remember the person elected had just returned to Uganda after serving a long prison term in another country for forgery.  The main reason he went through is because many people were so disappointed that such a person could be allowed to stand, that caused most of the people to remain home on the day of elections.  The man won the elections and we all witnessed what it means to be led by a person with no values.

When the day of elections come, please go and vote; your vote as a Christian counts.

I pray that God’s will be done for our nation in 2016.