I’ve watched some of both political conventions. I strongly prefer one candidate over the other, and recently, someone said, “How can you, as a Christian, vote for that person?” I’ve asked the same question about their preferred candidate. In today's context, it’s easy to offend and be offended by our political differences.
About 2000 years ago, a similar situation was playing out in Rome. It was not so much about politics because back then, people had little input in who their leaders would be, but about another issue that was every bit as personal and volatile: religion.
Some wondered, “How could a godly person eat meat that had been sacrificed to an idol.” Others thought, “Hey, it’s just meat; I'm free to eat what I please.” It's hard to fully grasp the deep cultural significance this had in the first century, but trust me (or better yet, read your Bibles), it was a big deal, and fingers were pointing in each direction. Friendships were dissolving, churches were splitting, and it was just as big of an old mess as our current state of politics.
The Apostle Paul wrote the entire book of Romans, trying to help people get through this crisis and stay unified. In Romans chapter 14, he lays out some principles that could help us today. Here they are:
- We can become more unified if we learn to respect the fact that people will differ on issues about which we have strong opinions.
- We can stay in fellowship with each other if we keep in mind that God accepts people in groups or at each end of the political spectrum.
- We can relax a bit by remembering that God is the final judge. It’s our job to love and accept each other. It’s God’s job to hold us accountable for how we vote.
- We can live in deeper unity if we concentrate on a final common goal. What is the final Goal? According to Jesus, a good place to start is earning a reputation for loving each other.
Side Quote: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”J ohn 13:34
- We need to reorient ourselves around the fact that we will end up in the Kingdom of Heaven, where all government will rest on the shoulders of Jesus.
- We need to behave in such a way that others won’t give up on faith or walk away from Christianity, saying, “Who wants to be a part of this mess?”
I’m writing this to myself as much as to anyone else. It’s not easy. But staying connected to people I love is worth it.
Dedicated to all my friends who are voting for that guy….or gal.
