You Voted, But Did You ____?

A 4-Word Question for Christians That Sure Beats "Who'd You Vote For?"

3-4 minute read, plus a 6 minute video. Audio also included for those who prefer to listen.

My Goosebumps Had Goosebumps

In a patriotic mood, I decided to put away the noise of NPR and FOX News and MSNB and the relentless signage on everybody’s lawns.

Instead, I sat in silence and listened to all 16 minutes of Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech.

This is why I had goosebumps.

The Script

Stirred with emotion, I began to write.

I called my buddy Davis and read to him what I wrote.

He said “let’s make it a video.”

But he lived in Arkansas, and I was in Pennsylvania. Could it work?

We decided to try.

I filmed. He edited. I re-filmed. I drew pictures. He animated them. He lost wifi, biked to an airplane hangar to get some, and stayed up into the wee small hours of the morning to finish the video before the deadline:

November the Fourth.

Election Day, 2020.

The Video

This year the election falls on November the Fifth.

Voting issues have changed, and so have you and I.

But the message remains the same, and is as alive as ever.

Lawn signs may be loud, but take a moment and breathe.

See what God has to say to you in the next 6 minutes.

What Happened Next

After we made the video:

• Biden was elected.

• Four years happened.

• Harambe stopped being a meme and was replaced by new ones.

Wars broke out, millions died (and are still dying), and tensions rose.

In short, life went on.

The Real Question

At some point, life will end.

For some of us, a lot sooner than we think.

Either we’re going to die or Jesus will come back.

But either way, until then, time will pass.

Four more years will go by, new memes will pull a Shohei Ohtani and break records, people will die, wars will break out, and yard signs will come back with a vengeance (and new names on them).

Yet the same question will remain:

How did YOU live?

You voted, but did you love?

Three Scriptures, Then Enjoy Your Day

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17)

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

"The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him." (Matt 21:28-32)

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Toby DeMoss

P.S., I will likely take next week off from writing because I need the rest. Talk soon!

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