When a Christian friend I love asked me this in frustration recently, it upset me. I think a better question for Christ followers isn’t, “How do you vote?” but “What are our thoughts, attitudes, and conversations with like-minded friends toward people who vote differently than we do?”

  • Are we looking for common ground or dismissing and demonizing others?
  • Are we listening compassionately more than we are trying to convince them?
  • Are we prioritizing relationships over rightness on topics other than the gospel?
  • Are we consistently praying people will know Jesus’ love more than anything else we’re praying for them?

Although I am pro-life voter, if a person’s political leaning upsets me more than the fact that they don’t know Jesus died for them, that should concern me. Recently, I’ve been much more preoccupied with many of my conservative Christian brothers and sisters, however, than my non-Christian liberal friends. I’ve been angry and exhausted by the jokes and sweeping generalizations some Christians make about liberals. I’m tired of the divisions some believers are causing inside and outside the church because of politics. And I haven’t been praying for them. I’ve just been

  • Demonizing and dismissing them,
  • Listening to them assuming I know their motives and what they’re going to say,
  • And failing to pray they’ll know Jesus’ love more deeply.

Dear Lord,

I’m a mess. I’ve been justifying judging and condemning your bride, the Church. Once again, I’ve become arrogant and annoyed by those who I’ve accused of doing the same things. I’m incredibly grateful that your death on the cross covers my blindness and sin, once again, as well. Help me love and pray for my conservative Christian friends as much as I do my liberal non-Christian ones. As I do, create in me a contrite spirit that helps promote unity and reflects your humility, love, and compassion for everyone.

 

 

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