SPECIAL EDITION: Things To Ponder

Saying #1:  “Ignorance is bliss” – but is it really?

Saying #2:  “What you don’t know won’t hurt you” – are you certain about that?

Saying #3:  “This is the way it’s always been done and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – so you’re saying that things don’t ever change and things just never go bad?

Those are some things that just randomly started popping up in my mind as I began my research this past weekend for the upcoming elections.  That may seem odd to you, but bear with me.

I firmly believe that as Christians, we have a weighty responsibility to participate in any and all of our local, state and national elections.  After all, these are the people that will wield a great deal of power over our daily lives – our well-being – for years.  So do we want people in office that have ideas and beliefs that are contradictory – even antagonistic – to our Judeo/Christian standards?  I would say the answer to that should be a resounding “NO!”  

That takes us to the voting process – our decision-making shouldn’t be willy-nilly.  Because in fact – ignorance is not bliss.  Being ignorant and making uninformed decisions about the people with so much influence over our lives can be a dangerous proposition.  This is actually very serious business.

When we had some elections 2 years ago, I had one man tell me that although he keeps up with national politics, he doesn’t really pay any attention to local & state.  When we then discussed who he was going to vote for in a particular state race he said he didn’t know anything about the candidates and was going to vote for a particular person.  When I questioned him about why, he said it was because they had the most signs out.  This (in my opinion) was exactly the person he should not vote for.  When I told him why, he was appalled that he’d considered voting for that person.  So…”what you don’t know won’t hurt you?”  I beg to differ – strongly.  And, an even more egregious example is what I’ve heard from a lady at my gym – there’s a particular future potential Presidential candidate that she said she’d vote for “in a New York minute” – why?  Because he’s handsome & has good hair!  Does the number of signs a candidate can put out or their physical appearance really matter when it comes to making such important decisions for our lives?  That’s a question that is so ignorant it shouldn’t even have to be asked!

Now let’s take on saying #3 – It doesn’t really matter what political party you associate with – if you always vote only for the candidates associated with that party “just because that’s the way you’ve always done it,” then it’s time for you to do some deep diving and make sure your thought process isn’t broken and in need of repair.  Something critical that you should understand is when you vote for candidates that are associated with a particular party – thinking they align with your beliefs – you need to know that they are likely going to be much more aligned with their party platform.  Have you studied up on your preferred party’s platform lately?  Do you agree with the majority of what they’re putting out there as what they will work toward accomplishing?  Do they line up with Judeo/Christian standards?   The differences today are HUGE!   

I’m over 79 years old and I voted in my first Presidential election 57 years ago.  Over those 57 years I’ve voted with the Democrats; I’ve voted with the Republicans; I’ve voted as an Independent; and, I’ve even split my ticket voting for some of each party.  I’ll even confess that my votes were not always very well informed choices.  But over the years, as I’ve recognized the importance of the votes I was casting, I’ve started doing my homework; and, that has become increasingly easier as technology has made it so simple to research anything your mind can conceive.  So there’s really no excuse for being an uninformed voter.  I truly believe it’s atrocious when Christians don’t even take the time to go vote – but honestly. I believe that being an uninformed voter is even worse.  

I do a great deal of digging on my own, but I’ve discovered that when I have a difficult time making a decision about any race(s), there are a few organizations that do a great deal of research and endorse candidates that support the same belief system I do.  So I will rely on them for some guidance with those decisions.  If you have access to a computer, anyone really interested to be as informed as possible should be able to find the kind of assistance they want – no matter what city, state or country you live in.

So here’s my first challenge for you today:  “Here are my directions: Pray much for others; plead for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks for all he is going to do for them.  Pray in this way for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord.” (1 Tim. 2:1-2 TLB)

Note that Paul tells them they should pray for others, pleading for mercy and giving thanks.  But then he instructs specifically to pray those same things for the people in authority over them.  Why?  “…so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord.”  How wonderful it would be if we could live like that – in peace and quietness instead of so much hate and turmoil!  In godly living and thinking much about the Lord – instead of being surrounded by so much perversity and evil!   Maybe if we try following Paul’s directive it would help change our world.  

My second challenge is to think seriously about the importance of the earthly people we put in authority over us.  Spend some time in research or seeking wise advice so that you can be sufficiently informed.  Then..make sure you vote!

Written by Karran Martin – February 9, 2026

[All bold emphasis is mine]