"If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone." - Romans 12:18
Disclaimer: This post is not supportive of any political candidate or my viewpoints on the election. It is about the aftermath of Election Day.
On Tuesday, November 8, 2016, America voted....and then the world started falling apart.
I have refrained from sharing anything about the election on social media because I just really feel like it does more harm than good to post about my views/feelings concerning politics as so much can be taken out of context when you aren't talking face-to-face with someone. Think about it. How many things have you read on Facebook or Twitter and believed AND shared, just to later find out that it wasn't true or that you interpreted it the wrong way? How many times have you read something that someone else wrote, and judged them based on what they said only later to find out that the way they formed their post didn't really or appropriately express the thoughts they truly had? Give me a human being to talk to any day.
Admission: I am over it. Over the negative posts about the candidates and about other people. Over the name-calling of one another. Over the bullying from both sides. Over the hatred of someone believing differently than another. It was old months ago during the election season and it most certainly is old now. This isn't about Republicans or Democrats. This isn't about particular candidates or supporters. It's about everyone...all of it.
Ya'll it's bleeding into our children's lives. In the past two nights since the election results, I have had to personally deal with kids bringing up to me the election and their fears and anger about it. And honestly, it hasn't been just a certain race that's talked about it; it's actually been all races. Some of them are on Facebook (yes, 13 year olds are still children). Some of them hear it from their parents at home. Some of them have television or internet access. Children learn their behavior from adults and I can speak from personal experience, they certainly are watching.
I'm fairly certain that those of you who read my blog are followers of Christ. I'm speaking to you. A number of Christians have been just as yucky about political posts as non-Christians. So take a minute to hear me out.
Jesus commands us to "love one another" (John 13:34) ... that includes people we don't like or have strong disagreements with (aka: enemies) (Matthew 5:44). People are gonna disagree...we're all different, God made us that way. Accept those differences; love them through those differences; show them the grace and mercy of Jesus. And if you feel as though you need to speak truth, then speak it in love. Ephesians 4:15 says, "But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head - Christ." Let me just stop right here and say, a bunch of posts have not been very loving - instead they've been insulting and harsh; and again, I'm not speaking to one particular side...I'm talking to all sides.
No matter what the outcome on Tuesday night had been, God was in control. And He still is...He really is. He knew the outcome before the world even began. It's not a cliche or a "Bible phrase." It's truth. Now it's up to us to carry this truth to the world. We are the light in the dark world (Matthew 5:14). We are to do unto others as we would want them to do unto us (Luke 6:31). We are to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). **side note: Jesus - the Savior of the World...the man who died on the cross for you - said all of those things. Just FYI.
So friends, as you are posting on social media or encountering someone who has differing opinions than you do, remember these things. Be gracious in your speech to one another (Colossians 4:6). Encourage and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). And love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31).
Finally, I leave you with the words of Paul in Romans 12. Here was a man who encountered a lot of differing opinions in his lifetime. He had, in fact, been a man who believed differently in his earlier life - I mean he was so dead-set against Christians that He tried to kill them. But after his conversion experience and after his experience of many hardships and people who didn't agree with him, he found a way to learn how to get along with others without being hateful. I think Romans 12 is a glimpse into his mindset about that. I hope you will take a few minutes to read, reflect, and apply to your own life.
God is in control, people. Don't freak out.
Romans 12 (HCSB)
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.[fn] 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Many Gifts but One Body
3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:
| If prophecy, |
| use it according to the standard of one’s[fn] faith; |
| 7 if service, in service; |
| if teaching, in teaching; |
| 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; |
| giving, with generosity; |
| leading, with diligence; |
| showing mercy, with cheerfulness. |
Christian Ethics
9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His[fn] wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,says the Lord. 20 But
If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For in so doing
you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.
