Article August 5, 1996 Issue

Can one individual really make a difference in the election process?

Karl S. Sandberg, Jr.

This is a year of major elections in many countries, including India, Israel, and Russia, and soon in the United States. As the American presidential election season goes into overdrive, what with political conventions, increased media coverage, and campaign advertising, there may be an important issue lurking in the thoughts of many people. Posed as a question, this issue might be framed as "How can one individual have any good and meaningful influence on the quality and effectiveness of our elected officials?"

Professional lobbying groups of one kind or another are specifically designed to influence elected officials through their endorsement of candidates for public office, but there is another method anyone can use to help establish better government, whether a member of a political group or not. It's called prayer. This prayer is dynamic. It has real power. And real authority is exercised by those who practice it. The only prerequisite is pure motives that genuinely seek to glorify God, to do His will, and to bless everyone as a result.

A remarkable example of the effectiveness of this method is found in the account of Joseph's life given in the Bible in the book of Genesis (see chaps. 37, 39–45). Through his simple, pure desire to serve God, and through quite an interesting set of circumstances, Joseph was able to advise Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to store the surplus grain from harvests during several bountiful years, in order to see the country through the years of drought that would follow. Influenced largely by Joseph's display of wisdom and integrity, Pharaoh followed Joseph's advice, and immeasurable blessings for everyone resulted.

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