Vote your values

OPINION:

America’s future will be shaped by the decisions we make and the responsibilities that we neglect.

Our children will live with the consequences. Our freedoms depend on whether we are willing to defend them. We cannot afford to approach that responsibility casually.

Voting requires more than frustration with the headlines. It requires conviction, discernment and action.

I am a Christian. My faith shapes my understanding of right and wrong, my responsibility to my neighbor and the value of every human life. It also shapes how I vote. I will not leave my conscience outside the voting booth.

Every American has the right to bring deeply held convictions into public life. Exercising that right responsibly means knowing what we believe, understanding what is at stake and examining whether candidates’ records match their promises.

“Vote your values” must mean something concrete.

For me, it begins with freedom and human dignity. I believe that every person is created in the image of God. That conviction informs my commitment to protecting unborn life, supporting mothers, strengthening families and caring for people who cannot protect themselves.

Compassion requires practical help and sustained responsibility. It also means defending religious liberty. The freedom to worship, speak and live according to conscience is fundamental. Government should respect that freedom for every American. A person should not have to surrender sincerely held beliefs to participate in public life.

I am unapologetically Christian, and I will defend the religious freedom of people whose beliefs differ from mine. Protecting that freedom requires consistency. We must recognize threats to another person’s conscience as a matter worthy of our concern and not ever allow a communist or socialist agenda to take our rights away and make us bow to the states decision for religion.

Our children deserve the same seriousness.

Parents deserve meaningful involvement in their children’s education. They deserve transparency about what is being taught and confidence that their concerns will be heard. Children deserve safe classrooms, strong academic instruction and adults who put their well-being first.

Protecting children also requires confronting abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation. It means demanding accountability from institutions entrusted with their care.

Concern for children must become a commitment to protecting them, even when doing so is difficult or inconvenient. Most of all, the government recognize that the rights of children always belong to the parents.

Families also need the opportunity to build stable lives. The cost of groceries, housing and other necessities matters because it affects real households. So do safe communities, meaningful work and the ability to plan for tomorrow.

Candidates should explain how their policies will address those needs. Voters should examine the answers carefully. A promise without a credible plan deserves scrutiny, regardless of who makes it.

We must also confront antisemitism, religious hatred and political violence without hesitation. No American should fear entering a house of worship. No family should face intimidation because of its faith. Leaders have a responsibility to speak clearly, uphold equal protection and reject excuses for violence.

These issues require judgment. They require us to look beyond a campaign slogan or a moment of outrage.

Read the record. Examine the proposals. Ask direct questions. Consider character, competence and the willingness to accept accountability. Demand more than words that sound right.

As a minister, I believe in the power of prayer. I also believe prayer calls me to examine whether I am willing to act on the responsibilities I recognize.

When I pray for hungry families, I must be willing to help feed them. When I pray for vulnerable children, I must be willing to protect them. When I pray for wise leadership, I must take the time to become an informed citizen and take action on that information. To do nothing is to disregard your civic duty as a Christian and an American.

Prayer should deepen our sense of responsibility.

Public officials exercise authority that affects our homes, schools, communities and freedoms. Selecting them deserves serious attention. Holding them accountable requires continued involvement after an election ends.

No candidate is beyond examination. No party deserves unquestioning loyalty. Political agreement does not eliminate the obligation to question dishonesty, reject cruelty or demand results. Public office is a trust, and the people have every right to insist that it be treated that way.

My faith — not social media — will guide my decisions. My conscience will inform my vote, not my fears. My responsibility to my neighbors and community will continue long after the ballots are counted.

I urge every American to approach this responsibility with the seriousness it deserves. Know your values. Understand the issues. Examine the records. Vote with an informed conscience.

Then, remain engaged. Serve your community. Keep asking questions. Hold leaders to their commitments.

Our children deserve adults who accept responsibility for the future being built around them.

• Paula White-Cain is president of National Faith Advisory Board.