One of my honors as a local pastor has been to serve as an election judge in Eagle County’s Clerk and Recorder’s Office since the 2016 Presidential election. What an honor to work alongside such dedicated, passionate, durable and honest civil servants of both political parties to help insure a successful and accurate election in our community! I have learned so much from this experience, most of all how sacred this process is to our democracy and how much rigorous discipline is required to handle our electors, ballots and tabulations with such integrity. Please know, in my opinion, at least thus far, that you may trust Eagle County election results once published as extremely accurate of each elector’s ballot communication!
It’s fascinating how clearly the Holy Spirit speaks through everyday lived experience. As ballots go, so to goes our spiritual life. The parallels fascinate me! Ballots are never left alone, but always transported, opened, tabulated and recorded in pairs of election workers. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two, for mutual support and camaraderie. It’s lonely out there by ourselves! Ballots are handled with almost reverential care, as we should handle our Christian
faith. Ballots provide clear guidance on selecting authorized candidates, just as scripture provides guidance the Psalmist calls a lantern to guide our steps! When a ballot is marked incorrectly or with contradictory information, a process entitled “Adjudication” is conducted with several election judges to interpret, or determine by consensus, the intent of the elector; if the judges unanimously concur, the vote is recorded. If they cannot concur, the ballot is discarded. The Spirit of God operates with consensus, unity and constructive intent, helping us to interpret our life experiences and understand better God’s intent for us! I think about you all tomorrow as I represent our congregation and community in the Primary election, and as I go:
- Please prayerfully discern HWJV: “How Would Jesus Vote!” And then please do vote to exercise your highest duty as an American citizen other than serving on a courtroom jury or joining one of the military branches of the United States!
- How do we reverence, respect and honor our relationship with Jesus and our Christian faith?
- What would change in our lived daily experience if we attended to our faith life with sacred honor as if our community depended upon it?!
Warmly in the Lord,
Brooks+