As we head to the polls on Friday, some thoughts to enlighten and help you.

Firstly, let’s be reminded that we live in a fallen world, and it greatly affects our way of life. Governments and politics are some of the worst affected. That goes for our beautiful country of Samoa, too. Our governments are not 100%, our leaders and members of Parliament all have weaknesses, like all of us.

But, even with our shortcomings, there are brighter lights in our little corner here in Samoa. Our constitution “Faavae I le Atua Samoa”. If we live according to our constitution, we should be able to navigate through life’s problems, even the ones we currently face. But therein lies the problem. Christianity is about LOVE, Politics is about POWER. To get and hold on to the power, you do whatever you have to do, whether it’s right or wrong. That’s why we’re being bombarded with all this negative and disgusting rhetoric, which is slowly destroying some of our precious values, like care for each other through va fealoaloa’I and fa’aaloalo, dignity, love, tautua, love of God, etc..

These promises of handing out money while overseas government and aid agencies are monitoring what we are going to do with their hard-earned money that will be granted to help develop our country. Even absurd promises which could not eventuate in our lifetime have been floated around. All to entice voters, for the power that the government required.

As I mentioned, our only solution is God in our lives. But most of us missed the point in the way we interpreted and live out our Christian life. Christianity is not about being religious…It is about having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We have to develop this relationship, so we will know for sure and experience this continuous communication with the Holy Spirit, because the Bible says that as children of God, we should be led by the Spirit.

So, as we head to the polls, palota ma le poto, like they all say. But what is palota ma le poto?   Proverbs 2:11 says, “Discretion will keep you”. In other words, wise choices will uphold you. You will stand, strong, healthy, victorious and be a blessing.

Remember these three things as you head to the polls”

(1)            Vote according to what God the Holy Spirit says to you

(2)            Vote for the benefits of all people

(3)           Vote bearing in  mind the precious values that we cherish.

A o e sauna e faatino lau aia tatau e ala I le palota, na o nai manatu e fesoasoani ia te oe I lau filifiliga.

E muamua ona faamanatu ia te oe o loo tatou ola I le lalolagi I ona vaivaiga e tele, ua a’afia tele ai o tatou olaga. Tasi foi ia vaega o le olaga ua tele ai ona a’afiaga, o faigamalo ma polokiki. E faapena la ona aafia ai foi ma si o tamai atunuu matagofie o Samoa. E leai lava se faigamalo e selau pasene, faapena foi ona taitai ma sui auai, pei o faipule.

Peitai ane, e ui lava I ia vaivaiga o le olaga, e iai lava le faaola totoga mo si o tatou atunuu o Samoa. O Samoa e faavae I le Atua. A tatou soifua e tusa ma lo tatou faavae, o lona uiga o le Atua I o tatou olaga, o le na e maua ai le fesoasoani tele I le tau faafoefoeina a o tatou ui I faafitauli o le olaga.

Peitai, o se isi foi itu, fai mai nisi e le o faatasi le olaga Kerisiano ma le polokiki, aua o le faa-Kerisiano e faatatau I le ALOFA, a o le polokiki e tulimata’I le POWER. Ina ia maua le power, o le a lava le mea  e fai pe sa’o pe sese, pe lelei pe leaga, ae a fai e maua ai le power, ia fai lena. A tatou faalogo ma matamata I le gagana mataga, taufaaleaga, taufaasese, taufa’amata’u … ua matua sola ese le va fealoaloa’I ma le fa’aaloalo. le fealofani ma le alofa atoa ma isi vaega taua o le olaga (Values).   E le gata I lena, o folafolaga o tufagatupe a o la e maitau mai e atunuu I fafo pe faapefea ona tatou faaaoga a latou fesoasoani. Ua ova ai foi ma nisi folafolaga e le mafai ona faatinoina I a tatou augatupulaga, Ao le faamoemoe ia faatosina ai le palota a le tagata ina ia maua ai le power o loo mananao I ai.

Pei ona ou ta’ua muamua, pau lo tatou faamoemoe o lo tatou faavae, o le Atua I o tatou olaga. O le faalavelave o le ese o le tatou silafia ma le faatinoina o le olaga Kerisiano pei ona moomia mo I tatou.

O le olaga Kerisiano e le o le fai ma tagata lotu, fai lou tofi ma au taulaga. O le olaga Kerisiano o le mafutaga a I tatou ma le Atua e ala ia Keriso Iesu o le Faaola male Alii e galueaina e le mana o le Agaga Paia. Pe e te lotu, ae leaise lua mafutaga vavalalata ma le Agaga o le Atua, e leai se uiga o lau lotu. Ae o le tasi lea aoga o le lotu, e atiae ai le mafutaga a I tatou ma lo tatou Atua. Ona mulimuli atu ai loa lea o au galuega lelei. Fai mai le tusi a Roma, o fanau a le Atua e taitai e le Agaga Paia.

A o agai la e faatino lau aia tatau e ala I le palota, o le upo loo campaign uma ai, Palota ma le Poto. O le a le palota ma le poto;

(1)          Palota e tusa ma le faasinoga ale Agaga Paia

(2)          Palota mo le manuia lautele o tagata

(3)          Palota e tusa ma values tatou te faapelepele I ai

O upu a le poto o Solomona (Faataoto 2;11), o filifiliga poto e taofia oe (wise choices will keep or uphold you). Lona uiga a poto lau filifiliga, n ate taofia oe, e te tu, e te malosi, manumalo, manuia,

E fai oe ma faamanuiaga.

Taie Tietie is a Pastor Elder of the Assemblies of God Church.