Dear Friends,
I don’t know about you,
but I have been barraged by political emails from people who want me to know the
truth about our recent election. Quite frankly I don’t have the time to read
all the links I am sent. And then the moment I turn on the television, there is
someone ready to tell me the truth. It is hard today to discern who is really
telling the truth, for one’s political persuasion frequently dictates the
narrative.
As a political
conservative I confess I am guilty of picking and choosing the truth I want to
hear. What I listen to and what I watch generally has often aligned with my
political views. The political spokesman championing his/her brand often
provided me with my ammunition for my next political battle.
A week ago I shared some
thoughts from my daughter who is one of the most politically unbiased people I
know. She had no particular political persuasion, and although generally voting
Republican over the years, she had no preconceived bias regarding the
candidates. She is a solid believer and above all a truth seeker, and I
tremendously respect her commitment to reading and independently researching
the positions of both candidates in an effort to be politically informed. She
was not a Biden supporter or a Trump devotee; she just wanted to make sure her
vote was based on what she had herself learned, and not what others were
telling her.
In response to what she
wrote, one of the members in our church, e-mailed me expressing his
appreciation for her willingness to examine both sides of “the truth” without
any preconceived bias toward either candidate. Her words had challenged
him to establish some guidelines for his future decision making. In his e-mail
he mentioned 5 things he was committed to doing in an effort to determine his
vote in future elections. I present them in outline form, in the same way they
were shared with me with only slight editing. My friend writes, I will:
1) Stay focused on
loving and serving our Lord. Constantly asking Him to mold and direct me.
Politics and this world are passing away.
2) Embrace the truth.
Call out and reject lies. Sources of continual lies cannot be trusted.
3) Increase Bible
reading/study, pray for wisdom and discernment, seek godly counsel .
4) Misinformation is
epidemic so be suspicious about everything. Fact-check everything. Avoid
extreme websites, media and news sources (far right/left... Fact check
and do NOT forward any email unless I check it with authoritative sources. I
will do my part to stop the spread of viral misinformation.
5) Pray for our nation.
This is good advice for all
of us, irrespective of our party affiliation.
In closing I have one admonition I would leave you in this
politically charged environment. I have a Roman Catholic friend who
yesterday e-mailed me and shared an incident that took place last week at the
mass at which this priest was presiding. Tearfully the priest related that a
dozen people got up and walked out of the church, upset and offended when he
had offered prayer for President elect Biden.
Brothers and sisters,
don’t let your political views destroy your relationships with one another.
Don’t forget that Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one
another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Yes, it is okay to disagree. It is
fitting to debate, but in so doing, make sure you do so in a way that does not
sever relationships with others in your familial or spiritual family.
Yours in faith and
friendship,
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