It’s the morning after.
On a national level most people I know were thankful, not necessarily with who won or lost, but that the election was over. I believe a sense of relief and a desire for a return to civility were hopeful expectations in the minds of most Americans.
This morning when I began my day in the Word the passage I was scheduled to read included Romans 13. God is always perfect in his timing and his Word is always relevant to whatever we are facing. Today that was especially true. So what follows are four thoughts from that that time in Romans 13:
First, God was absolutely in control of what occurred in this election. That would have been the case regardless of who won or lost. “…there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Rom 13:1). Would our joy and confidence be as great if the outcome had been different? With our eyes set on our King Jesus and our hearts firmly planted in his kingdom the answer should be a resounding “yes!”
Second, God requires of each of us that we honor, respect and pray for (I Tim 2:1-4) those whom he chooses to be our government leaders (through our election process, I believe). “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed (Rom 13:7). This requirement would hold no matter who won the election. I was thankful to hear the respectful tones in the speeches of Mr. Trump, Secretary Clinton and President Obama. I was disappointed this morning to see remarks on social media that lacked that respect and honor. I’m hopeful that respect and honor will flavor the comments and character of all Christians, both those who candidate won and those whose candidate lost.
Third, charity and grace should be our theme and motivation as we move forward from the contention and division that has marked this election. Here is the reality: Brothers and sisters in Christ who are a part of your church family voted differently than you did. They love Jesus just as much as you and hold similarly deep convictions. Yet while some woke up on Wednesday elated with the result; some were deeply disappointed. Some who are a part of your church family may now feel insecure and threatened by the reality that a fulfilled campaign promise may uproot their family and de-rail the life they’ve known for many years. Some may feel they are finally able to stand up and be heard while others feel the rug has been pulled out from under their feet. Paul’s word to us in each of these situations is simple and clear: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments….are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13: 8,9,10).
J.D. Greear summarized this point well: “What black, white, and Hispanic evangelicals have in common in Christ is greater than any political perspective that divides them, and in this election cycle, it seems this unity has enabled them [to work through these differences] knowing you are a beloved brother and sister in Christ. We’ve just watched a political season that was characterized by radical division. As a church, we have the unique opportunity to show the world supernatural unity.” http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/11/election-2016-what-should-christians-do-now.html – more-19827
Fourth, the urgency and expectation many feel politically should be eclipsed by the urgency and expectation Christians experience spiritually and demonstrate practically. “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:11-12). Isaiah reminds us that the most powerful nations are a drop in the bucket and dust on the scales in the eyes of our God (Is 40:15). God has called us to the work of his kingdom, and that’s greater and more urgent than any political pursuit. What God is building in and through his people will last forever. What we invest in his kingdom will pay off eternally.
Does that mean we are to be removed from the political process? Absolutely not! We need more Christians involved in politics, speaking up and living out their faith in public service. And we should be thankful for a nation and a political process that facilitates a peaceful change in leadership such as we have witnessed over the past forty-eight hours. We must not take this blessing for granted.
May God grant his people the grace and wisdom needed to move forward proclaiming the gospel, reaching out to and serving those who are fearful and discouraged, and living radically for our King Jesus as strangers and aliens in this temporary place.