Recently, there have been two kinds of people: those who love that Taylor Swift has become an NFL fan, and those who are tired of it—tired of turning on the TV or social media to find that it’s all about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Swift made a lot of headlines last week when an article came out saying she could sway the next presidential election. That sent a lot of people into a frenzy.
Recently, as I was coming back from Israel, a colleague and I were talking about the 2024 presidential election. We had some agreements and disagreements, but we both agreed that this election is about survival—and that’s the survival of this country as we know it. We have constantly seen a downward decline in so many areas, and growing hostility and tension are on the rise.
We were also in agreement that many of the American voters have become like sheep—both Democrats and Republicans—and they’re following what a select few say all the way to the ballot box.
I’ve seen a couple of good explanations for this. It is said, “If a group of people are (like) sheep, they all behave in the same way or all behave as they are told, and cannot or will not act independently.” This refers to people who have a herd mentality, who do not think for themselves but follow whatever the crowd is doing, wrong or right.
I often say that during President Trump’s four years in office, his greatest strength was making the American people think for themselves. That’s why he was a threat to the Washington elites, mass media, and some of the great institutions of this country. He challenged the American people to think for themselves, not be like sheep, and to challenge what they were being told.
For so long, the Democratic Party and the elite have thought very little of their base, believing them to be uneducated. They sought to persuade voters like it’s a high school prom voting for king and queen. They believe that their base is so shallow that all it would take to win an election would be their stance on social issues and handing out loan forgiveness like candy to get more votes. Sadly, it was true, and it has worked for many years.
The Democrats think they know better when it comes to your business, money, bodies, and the education of your children. They think, ‘We are the government, we are the experts, and you, as parents, need us to make the decisions for your children and families.’
Fast forward to 2024, and I think the same has become true for the Republican base. The Republican base is starting to believe what a select few conservative talk show hosts tell them. That is a dangerous place for a political party to be.
I believe we, the American people, are smarter and more capable than that. We cannot be controlled by a few men and women who want to manipulate their own agenda through us; we can do our own research, and we are capable of thinking for ourselves.
Back to Taylor Swift. A recent article that many of you might have read stated that she has the ability to sway the U.S. election this year. That’s a little scary to think about. I’m by no means a “Swiftie.” I do love her music and style, but that’s where it ends—and, side note, I’m pulling for the 49ers, not the Kansas City Chiefs.
We don’t need her opinion on who she thinks would be the best candidate to lead this country while we’re facing huge national security issues, inflation, our borders in shambles, and the mess of our education system. Morality has been down in our nation, and our military is being undermined by an ideology from within—all while our enemies around the world see it and are loving it.
All of this, with Taylor Swift, has sent the Republicans into a frenzy. It has been quite comical to start listening to all the conspiracy theories that have led them into a war with the “Swifties.” That’s probably not a great or smart campaign strategy for the Republican Party.
When we reflect on the last four years, it’s hard to comprehend the significant decline of this country. The impact on the American family has been devastating. From trying to pay bills to expensive trips to the grocery store (I know each of us has been affected by that) to shutting down schools and businesses, which crushed our economy, wounded our children’s education, and spiked mental illness. Education all across the country is pushing tolerance of lifestyles that are contrary to God’s Word.
We, the American voters, have become like sheep, blindly following the voices of influencers.
Following Celebrities
Have you been following celebrities? I know people, just like the article said last week, who will vote for whoever Taylor Swift endorses. She may get more people to vote with one Instagram post than anyone in the history of modern voter registration systems.
Are we following people like her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who partnered with Pfizer and came out with an ad to sway people into getting a COVID booster shot? Just a small amount of research showed that he was paid $20 million in his contract with Pfizer. We have to be careful, whether it’s with a vaccine, voting, or anything else. Influencing people is a business for celebrities. Once again, we must be smarter than that.
Following Political Commentators
Have you been following political commentators and influencers all the way to the ballot box? Media stars—from the left and the right—all have the same tactics; they just have different messaging. They get paid with the viewership that they accumulate.
We live in a time period where people feel like they have to be outrageous to entertain and gain viewership from their base. So we have to be very careful. We have to be wise enough to be able to navigate through what we’re being told and what influencers want us to believe. We have to be able to find the truth.
Following No One
Have you been following no one? We cannot afford to sit out. We say this every election, and it amazes me when the numbers come out afterward, showing how many people, especially evangelical Christians, sat out.
This isn’t a choice that we get to make—there’s too much at stake in this 2024 election.
Starting locally all the way up to our president, we will be voting people into positions who will decide how we live our life now and what is pushed on our children for decades to come. Each person who is in office will come with their own ideology, and that will have an impact on our children’s lives.
I often remind people that it isn’t about politics; it’s governance. Who is going to govern over you? Over your business? Over your children? We get the privilege and the honor to be a part of that decision.
Who Should You Follow To The Ballot Box?
Let’s be clear—once again: We’re in survival mode. Our voice should be less of a cheer for Taylor Swift and more like David.
Psalm 28:6-7 says, “Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
This season of survival in the United States should remind us of Israel’s survival and Joshua’s call for them to only follow the Lord. In Joshua 24, he brings all the tribes of Israel together to remind them of everything God has rescued them from. After this reminder, he calls for them to choose whom they will serve: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). We have to serve the Lord starting in our own household.
Serving Him also requires taking action. He has blessed us beyond imagination with a gift of freedom, and to whom much is given, much is expected.
Much is expected of Christians to help serve in our community, to help make the decisions of who’s going to govern over us, our children, and our churches—and who could make the decision of shutting us down. We have to be a part of that.
Maybe you think following God to the ballot box is difficult to discern, but it can be clear.
Remember that God has mercifully established a creational order. In other words, He has given us clear principles that we must follow. He set these up so that we could flourish as a human race and combat evil.
We are to vote based on the order that God gave us. These are the issues of protecting life, protecting the parenting of our children, protecting traditional marriage, and protecting our ability to worship, disciple, and evangelize.
Keep this in mind as you vote: What does our country need to continue to thrive and to create an environment where we can share Jesus freely? Have you ever thought about that? Because of the freedoms we have, we get to share Him freely.
I hear so many people that sit back and say they don’t want to be a part of it, that the Gospel will still spread even under persecution—and yes, that’s true. We’ve seen that around the world—but like I said earlier, to whom much is given, much is expected. We have been given freedom; we are expected to act with that freedom and to use it wisely.
We are also to love our neighbors (Mark 12:30). Loving our neighbors requires seeing their needs and stepping in to meet those needs. That love requires action, including selecting those who govern over us. Who’s going to help defend the citizens of our nation? Who will help strengthen our economy, giving us all a chance to work and contribute, take care of our loved ones, and help others around us?
I encourage you this year: we cannot sit out, and we cannot just follow what the select few, whether that’s on the left or the right, are telling us. We have to do our homework. Where do you get your news from? Who are you listening to? And if your answer is social media, your friends or family, or one major news outlet, I would challenge you to research other resources.
The Only True Shepherd
The recent Bible verse my son memorized from Isaiah 53 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
This last week, our family devotions have all been about what it truly means that Jesus is our Shepherd. It means that He protects us, guides us, leads us, and takes care of us. We are all called to be the sheep who follow the one and only true Shepherd: Jesus. We have to know His voice to be able to follow it. That comes through studying His Scripture and spending time in prayer with Him.
Like I said earlier, this election year comes down to survival. Who are you following to the ballot box? Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to decipher through the noise and lies that come through different outlets. I know it can all be very confusing and seem overwhelming, but don’t go weary this year when it comes to our elections.
