We live in a culture which loves to divide. This is not something new. We’ve always enjoyed picking sides. It doesn’t take much to divide us; sports, home state, university, it doesn’t really matter as we’re always ready to take sides. Human history is full of wars and divisions. We like to take sides. We like to feel a sense of belonging and the social uplift that brings. Despite our long history of joining, it feels as if our society is more fractured, more divided, more separate than ever. Perhaps the most divisive subject is politics.
Political issues and parties divide communities. Political ranker divides families, ruining many holiday dinners. Political parties divide friends. Long term friendships dissolve over support for the Donkey and Elephant. And most distressing of all, political issues divide the body of Christ. I know of several people or couples that have stopped attending worship services, becoming estranged from their congregation over politics. Sometimes it is fellow congregants who cause the rupture and other times it is the message from the pulpit. So how should I as a Christian navigate these troubled waters. In my own case, I hold serious political beliefs. How am I supposed to handle them. How should I relate to my fellow Christians who may, or may not, hold similar convictions. Interestingly, as usual, scripture has something to say about such a situation.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7
First, we must place our ultimate trust in the Lord and His work. While we enjoy the benefit of participatory politics, we must not place our faith and trust in human institutions. Constructed and led by humans, political parties are fallible and will ultimately fail us. The psalmist addresses this, encouraging us to place our trust in God. He is our savior and sustainer, not the elephant or donkey.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:18
Our current culture seems to have discarded civility. We say and share things in public spaces, especially social media platforms, which we would never have five years ago. Worse still, we accept and even encourage distressingly rude words and behavior from our national leaders. As Christians we’re called to live peaceably with all. We should not be the ones who share ugly divisive posts on social media platforms. Also, we ought not to support those leaders who insist on employing such language and tactics. We live and speak peaceably. We eschew harsh and ugly language, especially those words or posts that are questionable or not true. Living peacefully with all does not mean we sacrifice our opinions or beliefs on a matter. We just express ourselves civilly and always ensure what we say or post is truthful. We understand that we are not perfect and are mistaken more than we like.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3
This is one of those passages that I tend to rarely apply to myself; but, I should. When dealing with others, especially my fellow Christians, I need to adopt a spirit of humility or peacefulness. Unfortunately, when discussing politics, I tend to think highly of myself. This party spirit inculcates a sense of pride and judgement. Neither characteristic is found in the list of the fruits of the Spirit as enumerated in Galatians 5; however, peace, patience, and kindness all make the list. Looking a couple of verses earlier, I find a list of fleshly traits and among them I see, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, and divisions. All of these would describe many of the political discussions I have been party to…even in the Church foyer.
All of this to say that we as Christians ought to lead our communities, especially our congregational communities, in calm measured speech. Our society desperately needs a calm voice in the room, urging us to step back from the abyssal crevasse carved out by extreme political rhetoric. Instead of joining in the fray, let us be the ones who build bridges, bridges built on a thriving relationship with the Lord and buttressed by His peace.
Thought Questions:
- Do you find it difficult to deal with people who do not share your point of view.
- How do you feel when someone dispariages your point of view?
- Are you able to fellowship with someone who does not agree with you?
- What could you do to better disagree, disagree without being disagreeable?
- Do you consider others when you get ready to post something, especially a political something?
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