My political leanings do come through in a couple of things I wrote in the book, but I have tried to keep them largely to myself when it comes to anything connected with its promotion. I want the message to go out to as many as will hear it without the distraction and division accompanying anything to do with politics. If you really want to know what I think, check out my personal blog at lionsrealm.net.

However, I do think it is imperative that we who are believers exercise the rights and privileges afforded to us by this great nation in which we live. We are called to make use of the gifts we have been given, and one of those gifts is the right to self-government, implemented through the ballot box. To stay home is to bury our talent in the ground. Let us use it to prefer good over evil. Let us use it to make wise choices for the good of us all.

This is an election year. As I write this, some of the primaries have already taken place, but most are yet to come. Often by the general election in November, we are faced with the necessity of choosing between two candidates for any given race, neither of whom we like. It may still come to that, but if you want to improve your chances of seeing people you can really get behind end up on the November ballot, do your homework and vote in the primaries.

Yes, that may mean you have to pick a party, and I understand why that will make some uncomfortable. I urge you to read the party platforms and note where they misalign with God’s word. None will be perfect, but some will be closer than others. And some issues are of greater importance than others.

There are many issues on which sincere people may disagree. So, my final exhortation is to remember that someone who disagrees with you is not necessarily your enemy. There are many areas of policy where we have the same goal but different ideas about how to achieve it. Let us start by assuming good intentions.