Church, we have made it.
After months (years!) of witnessing the wrangling and debating, posturing
and pontificating… the election of 2016 is behind us. It may go down as one of the most historical
elections in our lifetimes and it will certainly go down as one of the most
divisive. Through it all I have been
disappointed, discouraged and even disgusted at the rhetoric of the candidates
and even more so at some of the “Christian” voices that I have heard. What saddens me most are the conversations I
have witnessed on social media between Christians who have drawn lines of
friendship, even fellowship, over political disagreements. Very often the language and vitriol present
in their chosen words have done nothing more than fuel the fires of
division. Brothers and sisters, in the
words of James, “This should not be!” (cf.
Js 3:10)
I am thankful today to be a part of a church family in which
good-hearted men and women of faith from different political viewpoints can
come together in fellowship and love. I am
thankful to know faithful Christians who went to the polls on Tuesday and cast
their votes based upon their convictions on what they believed to be important,
both Republican and Democrat… and maybe even some Independents out there! (smile)
If this election has taught me anything, it has taught me that we can
disagree over things, even important things, and still have mutual love and respect
for one another. It is not an easy thing,
which is a lesson our country is struggling to understand right now.
For us, the body of Christ, it ought to be a reality we live
out each and every day regardless of whether we are in a political season or
not. We do not have to all be alike to
respect each other. We do not have to
agree on everything in order to love one another. In fact, THAT is our
testimony to the world that we belong to Jesus! (cf. John 13:35)
So, what changes?
Hopefully, nothing and maybe everything.
This election has reminded me that God is still on the throne and that
was never up for a vote. That fact will
never change. All the nations and
governments of the world belong to Him and will one day stand before Him. While proud of my country, my ultimate hope
does not lie there. While our country can
do many things… many good things… it can do the most important thing. THAT is OUR mission and our mission
continues!
Our mission is to serve and share Christ wherever we can, with
whomever we can. The mission of God’s people
is not to somehow persuade everybody to agree with us on the issues nor is it
to capture as much political power as we can… it is to share the gospel of
Christ. The gospel convicts people. The gospel changes people. The gospel reconciles people. The gospel offers a hope for a better life
and a better world. What better
enterprise to be a part of than that?
For me, coming to that realization changes everything! It changes the way I see the world. It changes the way I see the lost. It changes the way I view government and its
leaders. And it changes the way I view
my responsibility and my mission to the world.
May it change us all in that regard!
What are you doing to further the gospel and the cause of
Christ in your world?
May God bless us as we endeavor to do just that!
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