Keep The Republic!

With the elections coming upon us very soon, this November 4th, I want to take advantage of the season to encourage you to exercise your right and responsibility to vote. Upon the writing of the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin was asked by a woman on the street in Philadelphia, “Mr. Franklin, what kind of government do we have?” He replied, “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”
As I ponder this conversation, I believe there are tremendous lessons to be learned and passed on to each other, especially in the tumultuous times we are currently facing.
First of all, I notice that this woman represents most of us Americans, going about her business in town, not knowing all the details going on in the great halls of power, even though their decisions would forever impact her family. This scene demonstrates her faith & trust in her representative, Mr. Franklin, who had served Pennsylvania well for many decades in the cause of Liberty, and who had literally signed his own death warrant by bravely writing his name on the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Her trust in him was well-earned and well-placed. He was worthy of her vote & confidence. I pray for more gifted & principled candidates for office, whose character and proven sacrifices of self for our country qualify them to be entrusted with the power to serve.
Second, I notice that Mr. Franklin described our form of government as a “republic”. He did not say it was a “democracy”, a “monarchy”, or a “theocracy”, or any other kind of government. I believe this is a very important distinction.
- A theocracy is government by a particular religion or sect – these tend to diminish personal and national liberties. Most Muslim-dominated countries operate as a theocracy.
- A monarchy (in many different forms) is government by a king or queen, who rule as sovereign leaders over their country – again, personal liberties and rights can easily be taken away at the word of the crown. Many countries in Europe’s history have been monarchies.
- A democracy is a government by the rule of the majority of whatever classes or masses come to power. They may be constitutional in nature (such as many current European nations) or socialist in nature (such as China, Cuba, Venezuela, etc.) – again, liberties are subject to the whims, trends, and preferences of the majority or the mobs that rule. All in the name of “the people”, of course.
- A representative republic is government that is made up of representatives who are democratically elected, directly by the people. It is a government by the consent of the governed; “of the people, by the people, and for the people”. This is the model that our founding fathers discovered that, historically, was the best way to ensure the rights of all people and which would safeguard our freedoms from the tyranny of the classes and the masses.
Lastly, I notice that Mr. Franklin put the responsibility of maintenance for the success of this great experiment in representative government squarely on your shoulders and mine! It is up to us to keep our freedoms or not. It is not up to the government to preserve our freedom. Our 2nd President, John Adams said that our Constitution was “made for a moral people, and it is wholly inadequate for any other”. He also said it was our duty to select only Christian persons to represent us. We can do this by paying careful attention to candidates’ records and actions in regards to various issues, rather than mere words or promises, making sure they consistently mirror Biblical standards & principles. We also must be honest in our daily life and demanding honesty & integrity from our elected leaders. We are to be a people under the rule of God and under the rule of law in our land and we are to elect only those who will do the same.
If you want change, improvement, freedom, and liberty, then start by leading yourself. Our leaders are only a reflection of "us" as a culture. Prayerfully cast your vote and make America better. Your vote counts!
Your vote is vital to keeping the republic!

Blessings!

“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.”
– Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)