Who do I vote for?  How do I decide?

I'm interested in a leader who tries his best to follow God's will as he/she makes decisions.  Because I know that while such a person isn't perfect, the results of a person TRYING to follow God's direction will be better than someone who isn't trying to follow God. 

I pray about who I should vote for.

I consider the influence a leader will have on young and old people.  I will not pick a leader who sets a bad example for others to follow.

Why vote for someone who tries to follow God's will?

In the United States, we often have the privilege of voting for people who try to follow God's will.  I believe that God knows better how to run our nation than we do.  He made us and this world – he designed it all, so He knows best.  Anyone who learns from Him will do a better job leading than someone following their own or other people's ideas. 

It's simple – I want God's will to be done, so I choose leaders who try to follow God.

What if multiple candidates claim to be "Christian"?

Following God means we become more and more like Jesus, who followed God best.  In the Bible, Jesus talks about looking at the kind of acts we do, and that if you look at a person's deeds, you can discover how close they are to God. 

I'm particularly interested in what candidates did when they weren't so much the center of attention – did they care for the elderly, did they feed the hungry, did they clothe and house the homeless, did they nurture the children?  Then I look at how successful a candidate was/is leading their own family – were they faithful to their one spouse for their entire life, how did their children turn out, do they attend church to worship God? 

Is the candidate sincere, or does he/she act one way on-stage, and another way off-stage?  I don't trust inconsistent people.  Matthew 5:37 says "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no."

What traits do I want to see in any leader?

• love
• joy
• peace
• patience
• kindness
• goodness
• faithfulness
• gentleness
• self-control

What if nobody running seems to be following God?

Someday I need to encourage someone I know who does follow God, to consider running for office next time.  We each have our own strengths, and for some, this kind of leadership isn't a good fit.  That's why I don't run 🙂

I enjoy innovative independent thinkers.  I appreciate leaders who encourage others to grow, and then step aside when better talent rises, instead of wanting to stay on top so they can always be "king".  I admire a leader who tries to do what's idealistically right, and who takes time to do it right the first time – instead of caving in to pressure.  And sometimes I want a leader to do what's best for the people, when it's obvious they don't fully understand what's best for themselves (such as Abraham Lincoln with regard to slavery).