On the Campaign Trail

As I was driving down Fifth Avenue in Scottsbluff the other day, I couldn't help but notice how many local campaign signs line both sides of the street. It's that time of the year--the election is looming, whether we like it or not.

I'm not a particularly political person. I'm well informed about the issues, though, and I have definite opinions about some of them. I'm not thrilled with much of anything that's been happening in Washington, and throughout our country, lately. I really wish we had a better choice of leaders who are running for office. However, I can certainly understand why many of the most upstanding and responsible leaders do not have any intention of ever running for national office. Quite frankly, the political climate in our nation stinks!

I will vote in the upcoming election, though, and trust God with the outcome. That's all I can do, when all is said and done.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Romans 13:1 NLT

But those signs I noticed, announcing local candidates for the school board and city council, remind me of the one time I actively campaigned for someone. 

I was probably 11 or 12, that fall when my dad was running for city council in Fairbury. There were no yard signs then, no flags for any candidates, and certainly no TV ads. Local candidates, like Dad, spent very little on their campaigns.

Dad had some simple, black and white flyers printed, with his name, picture, and a blurb that stated he was running for city council. I don't remember if the flyers contained any kind of personal bio or platform. They may have, but it probably didn't matter a whole lot, since, by that time, Dad was becoming fairly well-known in the community; he did a good job of managing the Mary-Etta Hotel and Cafe, and he was active in a couple of service clubs. 

Dad was not an outgoing person; I'm sure I inherited my shyness from him. I don't know who twisted his arm to convince him to run for office, but it was not a natural thing for him to do, so I am sure someone had to persuade him.

Dad's campaign consisted of one thing: walking the ward to pass out his flyers. Several times, on nice afternoons in the weeks before the election, my brother or sister and I, and sometimes Mom, too, would go with him, door-to-door. Dad took one side of the street, while the rest of us walked down the other side, knocking at each door, giving a flyer to whoever responded, and saying something like, "I hope you'll vote for my dad for city council." As long as I had a "script," and a family member beside me, I was able to overcome my shyness to do the job. Dan needed no script, of course, and Laura was too young to be expected to say anything official. We knew many of the families anyway, since we went to school or church with them, so the job wasn't too formidable.

One chilly afternoon, we set out to canvas part of the neighborhood, as we had been doing. Dad told us to meet him at a particular street corner, two or three blocks down the street, when we were done. I think Dan was with me that day. It didn't take us long to reach the designated corner, after handing out flyers to the people who answered their doorbells, or slipping flyers into the screen doors of the houses where no one was home. 

And then, we stood on the street corner and waited for Dad. And sat on the curb, and waited some more. And peered up the street, straining our eyes to try to catch a glimpse of Dad, without success. We stood up and discussed whether or not we should go looking for Dad. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, but was really only half an hour or so, Dad came out of a nearby house and hurried to our street corner, looking rather sheepish. It seems that some little old lady had invited him in for tea and cookies, and he just couldn't refuse. I'm sure he got her vote!

I think Dad enjoyed the opportunity to help improve the community. He served on the city council for several years. 

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 MSG