Get Used To Different
Raise your hand if you have been personally victimized by this election season. 🙋🏼♀️
Comical Mean Girls reference aside, raise your hand if you have seriously considered deleting Facebook or all types of social media because of it.🙋🏼♀️
I can tell you that I am worn out.
More than that, my heart hurts.
Do you know what happens on November 4th? A new President will be elected and all of the campaigning will finally be over. The problem is that even though campaigning season is over, the words we spoke and the things we posted have left a lasting impact on the people in our lives.
We have all seen the fights, the animosity and the hate. We have seen the ugly Facebook comment threads and the damage that has been done. We have seen the debates and the affect that it has had on everyone. We have seen the division among friends and among family. I have chosen to stay quiet on social media because I personally want to fight my battle at the ballot box. I would love to have conversations with people but there are so many times that I have felt attacked or shamed during the discussion. Bottom line is that there’s a lot of people who are hurting and confused, and this is the perfect opportunity for the church to show grace and love in a politically hateful season.
I pray that you have an open heart and mind as you read this. This is not to condemn, this is simply a reminder of our responsibility as disciples of Jesus. As we follow our Shepherd through this election season I want to spur you on to look as much like Jesus as we possibly can. We have an opportunity to show the grace and love that Jesus was all about. This is our moment to to turn the other cheek, to offer our coat as well and to reach out to people we may not agree with. Our life may be the only bible someone will ever read. I feel as though we have allowed fear to push us into a reaction of anger. This season of life has felt like one storm after another, we get scared and we get angry. We question where God is in the midst of storm but we forget who commands the waves and the winds to be still. Even amidst the confusion of the government we need to remember that we serve a God who will always sit on the throne no matter who sits in the Oval Office.
"Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" Mark 4:41
I think fear pushes us to react in many different ways, but I think as disciples of Christ we have lost sight of our purpose. We are so focused on proving our point that we neglect the importance of loving people. We are so busy trying to come up with the most perfect jab or comeback that we forget there is a human heart on the receiving end. We have prioritized winning the argument rather than restoring relationships. I can tell you that relationships were more important to Jesus. When asked what the most important commandments are Jesus said to love God and to love people.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Is that Facebook argument more important than your family? Is the debate really more important than the heart of our neighbor? I know that we all have different views but that does not give us the right to condemn or judge those who do not believe the same things we do. That is not our job, our job is to love. Our job is to encourage and our job is to pray. We should be known by our grace and by our love, Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
I’ve been recently re-watching the show The Chosen (which if you haven’t seen yet I so encourage you to do so) and I have been so grateful for the way they portray Jesus. There is a moment where Jesus asks Matthew, a tax collector, to be his disciple and follow Him. The other disciples get really upset because of the reputation of the tax collectors in that day. Jesus knew what He was doing. He knew that Matthew was hated and He knew that Matthew had a past. The disciples are not used to this kind of thinking and one of the disciples says, “But this is different…” and Jesus says, “Get used to different.”
Get. Used. To. Different.
I love that. What if we took that approach to election season? What if we weighed the issues on hand and didn’t choose someone based on a political party? What if we soaked our decision with prayer and fasting? What if we challenged ourselves to not be chained to policy and a political party but to vote based on what what was truly on our hearts. What if we focused more on winning people for the kingdom instead of our politician of choice winning the election?
Then, what if we loved people who voted differently. Or better yet… listened to their opinions and the heart behind their decision.
Have you ever asked someone why? Without debating, without rolling your eyes and without getting deeply offended? Just, why?
Have you ever asked for the story behind why they feel that way? Maybe if we loved more, tried to understand more and accepted more there could be more unity. I think about how mad the Pharisees were when Jesus came and challenged their understanding of Biblical principles. They were so sure they knew the right way. They were angry, they were scared and they were clinging to this idea that they were right. How are we any different?
I don’t know about you but I feel politically homeless. I am tired of the yelling, I am tired of the hate, I am tired of the judgment and I am tired of sifting though the dirt and picking the “least offensive option”. Election season shouldn’t be any different from every other day. Every day we should choose to look more like Jesus and less like the Pharisees. Every day we should choose to show grace instead of anger and love instead of judgment. Every day we should lay down our pride and open our hearts to someone else’s pain and story. Every day we should look different. We should be different. I want someone to ask why I am different, I want someone to see grace instead of the judgment and wonder why! I want to be different. I want to get used to different.
Look at who Jesus surrounds Himself with, look who God used in the Bible. He uses and calls the broken and the dismissed. He called upon the socially outcast and in a society that viewed women so beneath men Jesus chose women to spread his ministry. In a society where tax collectors were considered scum he called Matthew to be apart of His circle. Get used to different.
I truly believe that we should stand up for what we believe, but I also think we should be open to healthy conversations.
I believe we should fight for what is right, but I also believe in fighting with love and grace.
I believe we should stand with the broken and the hurting.
Proverbs 18:21 puts it this way: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” The stakes are high. Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. An unchecked fire doubles in size every minute.”
Before you speak ask yourself, “am I speaking life or death?”
Before you share ask yourself, “will this bring encouragement or tear people down?”
Before you spread information ask yourself, “Is this gossip? Is this truthful?”
Because I am a mom I will leave you with this acronym.
Before you speak: THINK
T- is this Truthful
H- is this Helpful
I- is this Inspiring
N- is this Necessary
K- is the Kind.
I want the world to see Jesus during election season.
No matter the Party, the Policy, or our personal perspectives; we all are equals at the foot of the Cross.
“For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
There is enough room at the table. There is always more grace.
Get Used To Different.
XOXO, KB