I recently heard of a pastor who prayed that "G-d's will would be done" in the Canadian federal election. On the face, this seems like a good way of not taking a side or making anyone angry. If the outcome is just "G-d's will", anger is pointless.
Yet, to me, this seems wrong. Politics is a human construct, a game played by humans, and when played well, for the benefit of humans. Humans will seem much more applicable than G-d's will to the entire process. We are not victims of the political system; we create and sustain it. That suggests that resignation to Fate is an inappropriate response.
Rather, we could use this opportunity to orient ourselves toward our highest Ideal.
Some examples of Ideals to re-commit to:
- Love those who seem least like us, because we all struggle to embody the Ideal.
- It's our individual responsibility to help each other, and the government is only a tool to fulfill this responsibility.
- Those who serve in the government are often incredibly smart and have the best of intentions, yet the best of intentions still pave the road to a terrible destination.
- We aim to find ways for everyone to benefit and no one to suffer from our thoughts, words, or actions.
Government is not some all-powerful genie that will save us. It is not a Fate we must submit to. It is the aggregate of the highest Ideals Canadians put into practice.