We are all aware 2024 is an election year and we’re only a few months away from Election Day, November 5th. The last month has been totally crazy, especially with the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the announcement by President Joe Biden that he will not seek re-election, and Vice-President Kamala Harris becoming the probable Democratic nominee.
This blog is not to promote a specific candidate. I am very aware that sharing my political views will not make anyone change their mind and that is not my intent. I lost friends after speaking out about the 2016 election and decided then that it was not worth it. Since that time, I have been fairly quiet about my views except to some of the people I am closest to. The purpose of this blog is to hopefully make all of us more tolerant of those who don’t think the same way we do. None of us are fallible and none of us have all the answers.
I recently read the following in Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge. “Then along came Time’s cover story, ‘Why We’re Losing the Internet to the Culture of Hate.’ There are trolls, of course, but their poisonous hatred is not all that’s going on. The internet – especially social media, marketing, and politics – is filled with envy and offense. Our politics have nothing to do with the common good; it’s currently ruled by self interest and ‘special interest groups.’ In order to become an influence, you need to stir envy, offense, and anger in your followers; it’s all about who can you get mad enough to join your side against all the other guys. The recent presidential elections are a case in point: ‘They’re doing this to our country – aren’t’ you offended?'” (The book was written in 2020.)
Our country is divided almost right down the middle when it comes to political views. Of course, everyone thinks they’re right, but we have got to find a way to respect each other and not be hateful and vicious. If you watch news programs or surf the internet, you know how bad the rhetoric has gotten. As a born-again Christian, I have certain beliefs and I try to vote my conscience, but I have friends and family who are also believers and vote differently than I do. We may focus on different issues, but who am I to question their stand or political views?
If you look in the Word of God, it is clear that we as Christians are to be different from the world. Jesus said in John 18:36, “My kingdom is not of this world.” He had said of His followers in John 17:16, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of this world.” His disciples, once they came to understand that Jesus was the Messiah, expected Him to set up his earthly kingdom and rule, but He had to explain that His kingdom is not of this earth. Jesus and His disciples were not on this earth to change the political landscape on earth, but to change hearts and eternal destinies.
Political, social, domestic, and national evils existed in the days of the early church. There were no kings professing Christianity. It was a pagan king whom Peter exhorted the Christians to honor. “Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king” (I Peter 2:17). Even though the believers had great spiritual freedom and privileges, they were not to be rebellious against the governing authorities. They were to pray for them and quietly submit themselves to the heathen rulers, giving them honor and respect. I Timothy 2:1-2 (TPT) says, “Pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.”
It makes me cringe to hear someone attack and ridicule a candidate or anyone else because of a difference in their political beliefs. If we always only read, watch, or listen to people we agree with, we may never understand why others think differently. I have intentionally been reading and hearing other people’s viewpoints. I will always stand by my personal beliefs that I believe can be backed by scripture, but I want to know how others see the world. I want to make room in my life to grow and learn.
Because our country is so divided, if we don’t make an effort to reach across the aisle and listen to others, we will never be united – even though we are the “United States.” As a believer in Jesus, I don’t want to be known as one who causes division or who displays hatred toward others. I don’t want to be someone who ridicules others, especially those in authority.
I do realize there is a difference in honoring those in authority and going against the clear teaching of scripture. When Peter and the apostles were arrested for preaching and healing, they said, “We must obey God rather than man.” (Acts 5:29) Even though they stood strong in their beliefs, they did not try to force their belief on the Jews or rise up against those in authority. Once again, they knew they were “not of this world.”
I pray for our country and for those in authority. I pray that we as a nation turn to God, but it starts with the people of God. We are to be salt and light and we are to be known for our love for one another. How will the world see Jesus if we are angry, hateful, divisive, and ridiculing those we don’t agree with? May God help us all.
