This summer, my wife requested that we make a trip to Swing Vote for date night, citing her appreciation for Kevin Costner and the amusement she took from the commercials. I was somewhat appreciative of the way that the commercials played out, and even entertained by the way the film itself rolled through the set-up of the voting tension that Costner's Bud Johnson endures, and the choices he makes. But that was BEFORE the vote that occurred in November, and as we approach January 20th's landmark inauguration, I wanted another look.

What I saw was a reminder that every vote matters, that our cry for freedom begins with "We the people of the United States of America." Swing Vote, in addition to being about family and community, is about the responsibility of being an individual who is free and empowered by the foundation of the country in which we live. In fact, Costner's latest movie only received a piddling 36% rating on Rottentomatoes.com but its heart is pure.

What happens when we abdicate our voting responsibility? What happens when we lose sight of our free right? And let me clarify free: we have the ability to vote and really have a say because others have sacrificed more, their time, their livelihoods, and their blood. We are free to vote because others surrendered their freedom. But we can blindly dismiss that right and leave the decision-making up to others. What Johnson learns throughout the movie is that he lacks the knowledge his daughter has (Madeline Carroll is still the scene-stealer on the second time viewing!) and that he can't make a conscientious decision without educating himself.

I see some similarities in our walk of faith. We are freed by the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (and subsequent resurrection), but God frees us to make the choice about pursuing God, and accepting God's grace. So, we have the opportunity to love God back because God loved us first—it's a free opportunity to us. But we still turn our backs on God's offer. We're still naive enough to think that we're in control of everything and that we don't need God. We think that our minds are enough sometimes. Like Johnson, we need to "vote" with our hearts and our minds in conjunction with each other.

In light of the election that we've just experienced, it's been made abundantly clear that every vote counts, and that there can be change in the way that the elections play out. What remains to be seen is what changes can and will occur over time under a new administration, and which situations will take longer. As we move toward the kingdom of heaven on earth, we recognize that changes take time, but we have to be present and available to being part of that change. Our "vote" matters.