Elections are upon us...

With elections for a president fast approaching in the United States, there is much discussion and concern about which candidate should be elected into office. McCain or Obama? And opinions fly in all directions about who is most qualified and worthy of the position.

I like to keep a spiritual perspective during elections. Politicians come and go, but the government keeps on ticking. Like the revolutions of the earth, day and night switch off and on, mornings come and evenings go, people go to work and come home, and the earth keeps on turning. There is a higher order at work that prevails regardless of daily details that occur in between.

There is a higher order over the government of our land, also, that prevails regardless of who temporarily occupies the political offices of our land. As we, the people, understand this higher order and live it out as citizens, politicians are required to live by it.

I think of the rules of my home. Many people come and go from our house as guests, workers, family and friends. Each person has a particular code for life they live by, and I don’t agree with all of them, but when they are in our home, they respect certain rules we’ve laid down.

For example, there is no smoking in our house. Smokers can leave and puff elsewhere, but not in our home. Also, we don’t slander each other or speak evil of one another. Anyone in violation can go elsewhere. Our home environment is the effect of how we live our lives in our house and expect others who come in to abide by as well.

Likewise, in the thought environment of our country, the citizenry lays down rules and expectations for conduct that all citizens are governed by, including politicians. The more we as citizens expect nothing less than integrity, honesty and principle to rule our daily lives, politicians will conform to those expectations. Morality will be the rule of the house, rather than immorality. If officials do not uphold the expectations of "our house," they will be asked to go elsewhere, or essentially, elected out of office. And the more clear voters are about acceptable moral and spiritual guidelines, the sooner candidates that uphold those virtues will be elected in the first place.

So, in many ways, the outcome of the election has already been determined by the present collective thinking of our country. We will elect whoever reflects the majority opinion of how our government should operate.

We may not agree with the majority opinion, but that is not license to get angry and upset with the outcome, and become distressed and discouraged. It’s a call to pray more and leaven communal thought with the spiritual principles and understanding that serve the higher order of God in control where love and truth prevail no matter who is elected into office. It’s a call to go above person to Principle.

No human is going to be the perfect candidate. Humans are not perfect. But God’s guidance is perfect.

I pray that we all continue to grow in our understanding of how to live moral and spiritual lives and I rest assured that the collective growth we experience will be reflected in political officers who reflect those improving ideals.

This may be a work of time and eternity… :-)