How will you react if your candidate for President loses the election?
On the morning after the results are known, which could be days or weeks (Lord, I pray not months!), what will remain your greatest Christian obligation? To love God and your neighbor as yourself.
Here is a ‘Wednesday Prayer’: “Lord, help me to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat, displaying your love to everyone I meet. Amen.” Practice that prayer today, before you know who won.
Tuesday will mark the 17th United States presidential election of my lifetime. I have a fairly good recollection of perhaps 15 of them, starting with 1964. While every presidential election seems to be of world-shifting importance right before it happens, it seems like the election of 2020 is being taken more personally than any I can remember. Families and friendships and church communities are at risk of being broken for good because of the deep divide among us.
That should not happen among Christians. Elections are temporal. Friendships are eternal, or at least they can be if we obey the Great Commandment. Christian friendships should survive elections.
How should a Christian react to the outcome? First, be humble in victory. Don’t gloat. Celebrate, yes. Gloat, no. Second, be gracious in defeat. Don’t pout. Mourn, yes. Pout, no.
You cannot love your neighbor as yourself if you transfer your feelings about your candidate’s loss to your feelings about your neighbor. The fact that they supported the ‘other candidate’ doesn’t make them a bad person. Really. They may be wrong (in your mind) but not bad. Humility suggests that when we confront those with whom we disagree we think, ‘They might be right.’
Everyone who cares about our nation and its future believes that they have chosen to vote for the best person to lead it for the next four years. You should be passionate about your political beliefs, but be more passionate about loving your God and your neighbor, especially those who celebrate victory at your expense. You don’t need a command to love people with whom you agree.
Be a Christian loser, or if God so ordains it, a Christian winner. “Lord, help me to be humble in victory and
gracious in defeat, displaying your love to everyone I meet. Amen.”
I remember my "first" election being 1976. I was upset with the outcome but didn't hate my classmates whose candidate won the mock election. So I guess I've learned years ago to love my neighbor regardless of party/race/choice. Thanks for the spin Pastor Bill. ❤ and peace neighbors!
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