I read an article this morning stating the Presidential election is almost 17 months away and I was instantly filled with anxiety. Thankfully it was not caused by fear of military take-overs or self-absorbed dictators fixing elections leading to civil war. Nope, I’m blessed to live in a democracy so thankfully that wasn’t it. Instead it was caused by a dread of division.
The economy is imploding and natural disasters are exploding around us. Our country is in need for us to pull together like never before – we need each other. Even more – the world needs a unified church. We all need the stability in the midst of chaos that only Christ can give.
There are many agents that divide – money, faith, betrayal, jealousy – but politics is possibly on top. Family gatherings have been ruined, churches have split, towns divided and on and on.
The night before His crucifixion He prayed that His disciples would be one, united like He and his Father. As Christians and citizens we should work to model this to our country and the world.
Here are a few suggestions that may help us model Christ around the dinner table and water coolers as we enter the primary season (and hopefully open our heart to God molding us to be more like Him)…
- Don’t view issues as “left” or “right” – look for Christ’s view. Social justice, the unborn, the environment, the poor…we shouldn’t avoid them because they are one the ticket of the other party. We should look at them through the eyes of Christ. Allow God to open your eyes to how He sees the issues.
- Look for truth. Taking our eyes off ourselves helps us to broaden what we see. Perhaps God will teach us through the views of others. But first we have to be willing to see it with a learning spirit.
- Pray for vision and wisdom. Open and honest discussion/debate is tricky. Most are not working towards unity – instead their agenda is solely to prove their point. Only God truly can see the heart of an individual if it is open. Sometimes the wisest thing to do is avoid the topic. No use losing your voice trying to talk over a jackhammer.
My prayers are with you as next political season begins. May God use this time to show each of us what matters most to Him at this time of history. That our votes won’t divide but Christ’s love and model will unite us.
Do political discussions cause tension in your family, church, work?
How do you handle it?
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