Election Day – A Pastoral Encouragement
Today is one of the days that we, as Americans, get to regularly participate in democracy. And this is undoubtedly a great privilege. At the end of the day, many in our country and our community will find themselves excited and filled with optimism for the future, and many others will have the opposite experience. But as Christians, today isn’t merely about participating in democracy or seeing our preferred candidate win. It is an opportunity to represent the one who has redeemed us from sin and bondage and given us new life. It is an opportunity to make Christ known.
With that, may I offer this pastoral encouragement? No matter how the election goes, honoring the Lord and our neighbors is to be our focus today and each day moving forward.
Don’t get me wrong that is not an easy task. So, how do we do it?
Let’s look at Paul’s words in Ephesians. He tells us that we are to live out the virtues of patience, gentleness, and humility that we have seen in Jesus. He says it this way, “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:1-14) And these virtues aren’t for the faint of heart! Especially on a day like today. Unfortunately, in recent years, the election season has failed to bring out the best in humanity, including many Christians. However, Scripture reminds us that, as citizens of a greater kingdom, we’re called to a higher standard (Eph.2:19). And just like wedding vows, which are made in a moment of excitement and eagerness, but are kept through challenges and hardship come along, so too are the virtues or patience, gentleness, humility. These virtues are demonstrated most clearly when we are pressed out and facing hardship.
- Patience – Seeing the big picture and choosing to work towards it when you are put off or bothered by something or someone.
- Humility – This is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less often.
- Gentleness – Exercising self-control in a moment of challenge and irritation.
Each of us will find ourselves in conversations, interactions, and moments where it will be tough to live out these virtues. We should not forget that as Christians, we are filled with God’s Spirit who helps us to live the Christian life and to keep Jesus as our true north.
We are also to remember that regardless of who it is, God appoints to positions of power, for “there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God,” (Rom. 13:1) at the end of the day it “is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” (Ps. 118:8-9) Indeed, we need to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions,” (1 Tim. 2:1-2), but it is Jesus Christ who “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17) so that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” (Phil. 2:10-11) No matter how this or any election season turns out, Jesus remains “the king of glory!” (Ps. 96:3) For this reason alone, engaging the entire election cycle with our king’s mandate toward godly wisdom and genuine love is essential. This genuine love comes from Christ and is often most evident in the way we talk to one another.
James wrote that a “forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.” (Ja. 3:5-6) This divine insight into human nature serves as an important caution regarding the manner with which we engage other people during this political season. We need to be a people who are “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (Ja. 1:19)
As we participate in conversations around tables, at work and the neighborhood, or on social media, we must “let no corrupting talk come out of our mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29) We must be a people who “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord,” (Heb.12:14) even if this is in the face of sharp disagreement around political matters. Indeed, it is a mark of a faithful kingdom-citizen “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” (Titus 3:2) This allows us to “let our light shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)
This means that today and in the coming days and weeks, we will need to:
- Not say the first thing that comes to our mind, but exercise self-control to honor God and others with our words.
- Turn off the news and put down the phone when we are angry, disappointed, or finding ourselves not putting our ultimate hope in Christ.
- Pray for our neighbors, family members, community, and country.
- Lament – Prayers where we acknowledge the brokenness of the world we live in declare that it is not the way God desired it, and ask God to intervene now and ultimately by sending his Son again.
- Praise – Prayers that simply praise God for who he is and that he is in control even when we don’t understand how.
- Supplication – Prayers where we give our requests to God to meet according to his will, not ours.
- Look for opportunities to serve others, and in doing so, demonstrate a better way of life through Christ.
Today and in the days ahead, we must not lose sight of the fact that the opportunity for us as believers is not merely a political one. It is the opportunity to live in a way that points to Christ and declares the hope of the gospel.
Let’s be found faithful to declare the gospel in word and deed.