Our Best Kept Secret Is We Don’t Vote! - Bryant Martin

So I'm thinking, like, practically, then you have, um, like you just mentioned, we have in the midterm election has just happened. Um, as we're recording this, we're still in the government shutdown, which is interesting. Uh, you know, so it's just in the air, right? And so your neighbor is, say, strikes up a conversation about politics, right? And, oh, the, uh, government, whichever side they don't like, you know, is responsible for the shutdown or something, you know, whatever, just make something up. How can we actually engage with those conversations instead of the one of two options that come to mind, uh, would be, oh, I don't, I don't talk about that. Or the other is like, oh yeah, I agree, but yeah, well, we actually don't, you know, secret, we don't actually get involved either.

Like, how do we actually engage with these things in a profitable manner that I, I think all of us want to, uh, help our neighbors contribute to our hometowns, things like that, you know, empower our communities in, in positive ways.

What do we actually do practically? Mm-hmm. In those kinds of situations? Sure. Well, I would, that's, that's a good question, and that can be quite difficult. Uh, I think we need to remember that, you know, we would assume that if you're not a Christian, that you would be involved in the political world. You know, I, you know, in my pushing back against voting, I don't push back against my, my ungodly neighbor not to vote.

Because in many ways, that's the kingdom he's part of, so why wouldn't he? So I don't try to make him quit voting. I try to lead him to Jesus and to his kingdom where he will then, you know, because of this experience, because this new reality, a fruit of that would be not voting, right? Not getting involved in the political world.

Uh, and so, uh, and so my only, you know, the only time I have more engaging conversations is with other Christians who are very political. And that's where I'll, I will push back and say, well, why are you? Why are you doing that when we have the teachings of Jesus here? Um, you know, why? And asking those questions. But so, but at the same time, though, it definitely still is a good time for you to share, you know, our hope, the hope that that is with, within us, but to do it, you know, with meekness, with fear, um, and always, you know, remembering that, you know, it's, we're not, you know, we're, while a thousand men are slashing at the leaves of evil, there's one striking at the root.

You know, we're not going to slash the leaves of evil over here. Um, we want to show him that, that we, we are praying, that we do pray about this, these things. Uh, but because of our understanding, our convictions, we, you know, we don't, we don't get involved in these things. So it can be a great opportunity. I, uh, again, I've said before, our best kept secret is that we don't vote. And so oftentimes people say, you know, uh, what kind of Christian are you? I'll explain to them, um, you know, a Christian that's striving to, to live out the faith as the early church and also the Anabaptist, you know, you know, and a faith tradition and kind of talk about that.

And then kind of a reality or a how we, how we put that in the shoe leather is by totally eschewing the political world, which means we don't even vote. And that really puts some color to it fast. And they're like, oh, and then that can really hind it. Yes. That can really then move you into some really, um, clarifying conversations quickly. Mm-hmm. Um, because that's, that's often a very new idea to them. Mm-hmm. So yeah, it's a great opportunity, um, to engage with your neighbor for sure. Mm-hmm. Don't let that opportunity go past, but never, if he's not, if he's not a Christian, never indict him for voting. And that's what they, that's what they do.

And really, uh, should. Mm-hmm. Because they're part of this, they're part of this earthly government. Mm-hmm.