Here We Go Again

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 Four years ago on Tuesday, November 8, we witnessed one of the most surprising presidential elections in modern United States history. That may be an incredible understatement. I remember staying up till after 300am and still couldn't believe the outcome. On the next day, Wednesday, November 9, the world was supposed to begin ending. It didn't. It hasn't...although this year, 2020, might qualify as "close enough."

We're coming into another "end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it" election. Candidates have been chosen. Lines have been drawn. Opposing positions staked out. Threats made. Denials. Obfuscations. Flat-out lies. It's nothing new. In fact, negative campaigning has been around almost as long as our country has been alive. If you don't believe me, do a little research on the Google machine and check out some of the campaigns from the 1800s. Those guys left nothing much off the table. 

The next six weeks promise to be brutal. Nasty. Ugly. But that doesn't mean we have to be. Having a different opinion doesn't make your neighbor irredeemable. Voting for a different candidate doesn't make your family member a bad person. Yet, I read an article written by a person who withheld visits with grandchildren because of who a person votes for...or doesn't vote for. People accused of being communist/socialist/racist (or fill-in-the-blank) because of opinions they hold.

Why do we allow ourselves to be divided by sex? Race? Religion? Class? Political affiliation? Because we have allowed it. We have split into tribes, looking to war with each other so we can say, "See, I told you so (you racist)! We are called as Christians to put aside all those designations. We are to remove the plank from our own eye before helping our neighbors with the speck in theirs (Matthew 7:3-5). We are to hold all people in esteem, loving them as God loves us (John 13:34-35). Forgiving as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:31-32). 

Is it easy? No. Are we called to do it? Yes.

No matter the results on November 3, November 4, or December 30, half the US population will be upset. Half will be happy. Either way, the sun will still come up. The earth will still rotate on its course. The God we worship will still love us. And we will still have to love all people. All the time.

Grace and peace to you all!

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