Honestly, I’ve been avoiding writing this post for a few weeks now, but God has laid it on my heart to write it, so here we are! When people bring up politics these days, it always has a bad connotation.
It’s not so much anymore, “I voted!” as much as it is, “I voted, I’m right. And if you don’t agree with me, you are wrong and hated.” As a community of Christ followers, we are called to do so much more than judge a person off of their political views. No, as Christians, we are called to love first. That is what I want to dive into here. Political views, sexual orientation, gender and color havc no place for judgement in our hearts, and neither did it in Jesus’. “We love each other because He loved us first.” 1 John 4:19 When looking at all of the things happening in the world right now, we have our hands full with events or people we could easily be angered about/with. Our human knee-jerk reaction is to judge then mentally scold ourselves for doing so. With some people, it’s to judge out loud and repent later. We HAVE to break this mold. When we face people that support a party that isn’t the one we support, we should have joy that they believe in something. That they are standing up for something and have put the effort forth to back someone running for office. Not slander them, poke fun at them, call them names or anything else that ISN’T Christlike. Instead, I challenge you to approach a person, situation or event with the phrase, “Oh, wait.” This phrase not only gives us time to prepare our speech to be kind and full of love but it also gives ourselves a moment to get rid of any hateful thoughts that enter. This goes for opposing race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or political party. Just because we believe differently from someone else, we look different than someone else or we love differently than someone else gives us NO right to climb up in God’s judgment throne and take over. With that being said, everything we do needs to be aligned with the Bible. Meaning, who we love and who we elect. Whether or not our presidential candidate gets elected into office or not should NOT have any effect on if we love and respect them. Whoever is in office and has authority over us deserves our respect, period. Whether the color of your skin is blue, black, white, yellow, or the rainbow should NOT have any effect on if we love and respect them. Just because someone looks different than you or your family gives us absolutely no right to treat them any differently.
The last time I checked, Jesus didn’t just die for one race, He died for every race.
When I went in to vote the other day, I felt like I had aged about 400 years. Not to be TOO dramatic, but mentally I still felt like I was in high school and voting was for adults. Come to find out, I am an adult and have been for 2 years, WEIRD. Regardless of the fact I was aging, I started thinking about my faith and what it has to do with politics. As I have gotten older, I have realized that the church, my youth group, my pastor or my parents aren’t going to hold me accountable forever. Meaning, as I age, my faith becomes my own, what I believe and what I trust doesn’t depend on what my parents think and believe anymore. As an adult it becomes what I believe. I sat in my car for a second, before catching up with my parents as they waited at the polls and I thought to myself, “What if I changed my vote?”. What if I decided last minute to vote for a different party or a candidate? Nobody would know. My parents don’t check my ballot. My pastor won’t check my ballot. And then it hit me. God would.
God would check my ballot.
He knows who I would vote for and He knows what that person stands for and represents. Would He be proud? Is the person I am voting for going to stand up for what I believe and what God has said in the Bible? Or is the candidate supporting his own agenda, and do his values and morals detest what is written in the Bible? There are a few verses I have shared on the next page and along with them are your reflection questions and prayer. I want you to think about these biblical principles and see if the name you are circling on the ballot aligns his/her beliefs with what is written. I will say with confidence, that no candidate is perfect. No candidate has a perfect handle on his/her pride, ego, language, anger, etc. But. What they believe and what they take a stand for are louder than any personal flaw they could have because the Bible is filled with Christians who have flaws. Just read a few chapters into Genesis and meet Eve. I love you girls so dang much and I am not only praying for you daily, but I am praying you to use discernment when voting at this election.
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, “You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgement.” Matthew 5:21
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” Romans 13:1-2
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable… If a man lies with a man as one lies with woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads”
Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13
Reflection Questions:
Have you done factual & reliable research on each candidate and what they believe? What they are against? Do they align what they are fighting for with the Bible?
Have you made your faith your own? Have you dug into Scriptures and found what God is telling you to truly believe?
Are you loving and treating others that look different from you or have different beliefs from you, the way Jesus would? With respect, honor and grace?
Dear Lord, I thank you for today and I thank you for each other. I thank you for all you have given us and for another day to serve you. I pray you give us the eyes to see the utmost best in people and treat them live you treat us. With kindness, respect, honor and love. Help and guide us to abide in your love and mercy towards others. I pray we use discernment when voting and choosing a president. I pray for whoever you allow to take office, that they would govern well, serve well, treat others well, and do what You want to be done, Lord. I lift up our future president, that he will be shown grace when he needs it, respect when he deserves it and love as a fellow brother in Christ. I pray these girls can see opposing parties, races and religions not as enemies or foes but as family: brothers and sisters in You, Lord. You created each of us with an earthly mission and to spend Eternity with You. Help us believe that, act on that and love others well. Guide us in this upcoming week, that we can be a reflection of Your character. Help us get into your word more and create a deep longing to walk with You. I pray in everything we do, we do it as You would. We love you. We need you. Make us want you more. In your name we pray, Amen.
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