As you read this, people are voting for who gets the privilege and responsibility of the presidency of the United States. Months of tension, debates, and politicking have led up to this time, and I think it’s fair to say that every US citizen is anxiously waiting for the answer. We want it now, we want it yesterday so that we can absorb our new reality and move on with our lives.
In the past, we’ve been able to expect to know who our President would be by the end of election night. This year, we might not know for several weeks, especially if it’s a close election. I can almost guarantee that we will not know who our President will be by the morning after the election, as we have in the past. Take a deep breath. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, no good can come of rushing this. No matter who wins, the sun will continue to rise. Consider this to be like the time period between taking a test and getting the results back. There is nothing you can do at this point to affect the outcome. With votes already cast, this is a good time to take a walk and think about something else. I have two concerns during this waiting period. First of all, I am concerned about my fellow Americans on both sides of the political spectrum losing patience and taking to the streets. I am concerned that once the results are known, there will be violence. Christians everywhere, please join me in praying for the peace of our nation. Peaceful protests from either side are fine, but pray with me that there will not be violence. Human lives matter. Secondly, I am concerned about my brothers and sisters within Adventism. The Adventist world is politically diverse, a result of our heritage of valuing freedom of conscience over any man-made political ideology. This used to have the result of Adventists hanging out pretty close to the center of that political spectrum, but in recent decades, they have become nearly as polarized as the rest of North American society. Things have been pretty heated on social media in the lead-up to this election, and I can only imagine how it will be once the results are known--no matter who wins. In my own church, I know there are ardent supporters of both candidates. To all parties involved, I ask this: remember that our loyalty to Christ is far more important than our loyalty to any earthly political system. We are all children of God. In recent years, many have remarked how awkward it is that Thanksgiving happens just a few short weeks after the election. Most extended families are politically diverse, and things can get tense over the veggie-turkey in an election year. Personally, I’m glad for its timing, though, because it forces us to look each other in the eye and remember: you are my family, not my enemy. I love you, and am grateful to have you in this world. We disagree about the election, but we are still a family. My prayer for the Adventist (and Christian) world is this: that no matter who wins this election, we can still look each other in the eye and love one another as Christ loved us. Earthly rulers come and go, but the kingdom of God is forever. Political parties are changeable and easily bought, but our bonds in Christ are forever. Is there someone at church or in your family whose politics annoy you? I challenge you to reach out to them on purpose to connect with them over something other than politics. Politics are such a small fraction of what makes us who we are. Reach for those deeper bonds, and let your love increase by the power of the God who binds you.
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AuthorJillian Lutes is the youth pastor at West Covina Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church. Archives
May 2020
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