Your Vote, You Voice, Your Prayer

“A vote is a kind of prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and for our children.”

Georgia senator and Baptist pastor Reverend Raphael Warnock said this to Congress in 2022. He went on to say, “As a man of faith, I believe that democracy is the political enactment of a spiritual idea – the sacred worth of all human beings, the notion that we all have within us a spark of the divine and a right to participate in the shaping of our destiny.”

That notion, that we each have within ourselves a “spark of the divine,” reminds me of the Quaker belief that there is “that of God” in every person, “the Light Within,” that each individual is endowed with a measure of the Divine Essence, an inward Presence, at our spiritual core.

I believe this. I believe that you and I have a Spark of Light within us. Reverend Warnock takes this further when he reminds us that this is not only a religious notion, but a core of democracy, that each of us has a right to shape our destiny, or the destiny of our nation. That doesn’t mean that the United States is a “Christian nation.” The Light Within is not limited to Christianity or any one faith or religion. It is universal. Recognizing our divine right to participate in our future as individuals and as a nation is vital. We have a right, and a duty, to be a part of it. Our voice, our vote, makes a difference. I will never tell you who to vote for. You are the only one who can make that decision, and it is an important one. I do urge you to vote in every election. Vote for every position and bill down the ballot, not just the president. Educate yourself about the issues. They will affect you.

When you vote, whether you cast your ballot in person, by mail, or at an election office or ballot box, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on the importance of your action. Your vote is your voice, your prayer, your opportunity to participate in creating the future you most desire for yourself, your children, and your grandchildren.

However you choose to vote, my prayer for you is for a future filled with good things, good experiences, and good people. You are worthy and loved, just as you are, no mask required.