It's no secret- our nation AND our church have gone through a tough political season. We are a nation clearly divided, but sadly, we are also a church clearly divided. Leading up to the election, I had the thought, "I just don't understand how you can be a Christian and vote Democrat." While at the same time, hearing other friends (who I respect) declare, "There's no way you be a Christian and vote Republican." But when I took some time to stop reacting emotionally and attempt to listen and ask non-confrontational questions, my perspective grew. What I found were Believers on all political sides who were full of compassion for different groups of people. Who they were drawn to help and defend differed largely on their individual life experiences and even their geographical locations. I discovered members of the Body of Christ in every political camp who felt like their Christian faith was informing their political decisions and their vote.
Within the umbrella of Christianity, we have tens of thousands of different denominations. Most denominations were formed around how an individual or group of individuals interpret the Scriptures which Christianity deems to be the authoritative and inspired Word of God. While most of us believe that the denomination we adhere to is the "most right," in reality, there are right and good elements in most every Christian denomination. Jesus is SO perfect and His beauty is so multi-faceted, different denominations tend to focus on different facets of who God is. From an outsider's view, I think it often seems that Christians must be pretty schizophrenic. How can we all share the same Biblical text and yet have so many different interpretations of what it means?
Let me challenge you here with a thought. At His ascension, Jesus didn't commission Believers to ONLY reach out to one group of people, in one area. He commissioned Believers to take the Gospel to ALL the world, making disciples and baptizing them into the Name of Jesus. It's going to take more than the American Evangelicals who voted Republican-- it's going to take the WHOLE church.
We need all Believers, with all different life experiences and perspectives in order to reach the whole world.
As I was thinking through this idea, I was reminded of the Four Gospels-- the first four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In these books, we have four first-hand accounts of men (disciples) who walked alongside Jesus during His earthly ministry. Those outside of the Christian faith often fall back on the idea that the Bible can't be true because of its inconsistencies or contradictions, often pointing to these four books of the Bible, but let's take a closer look. For approximately three years, these men watched Jesus day and night. If you take any four people and have them witness a 3-year long event, their reports, what stood out to them, the exact order in which the events happened are not going to be identical. Additionally, these men came from different occupations, backgrounds and life's experiences: we have a tax collector, a physician and a prophet in the mix. Even more, each of these Gospels was written to a different group of people and each of the Gospel writers drew from different stories and evidences which would specifically appeal to their audience. Matthew wrote to the Jewish community, Mark wrote to the Romans, Luke (a Gentile convert, our only non-Jewish writer) wrote primarily to the Greeks and John wrote to all Believers. What's important to see is that the goal of all four of these writers was the same- to show their audience that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah.
And God saw fit that, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, all four of these accounts would be included in the the final, authoritative cannon of Scriptures which have endured to this day.
Let's move on from this realization with a new perspective. When a fellow Believer has a different political viewpoint than you do, be quick to recognize and celebrate that God has wired them differently with a purpose. Be quick to respect them as a brother or sister in Christ; honor the gift of God within them. Be quick to remember that we need the whole Body. If you think someone is truly in error, pray for them. I promise it will have far greater impact and power than calling them out on social media. Challenge yourself to remember that your own viewpoints don't define "normal," but rather are specific to your calling and what the Lord has put in front of you to do.
Just like the Gospel writers, the important thing is that we all have the same goal- to tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah and the only means by which we can attain eternal life.
How we walk this out is going to be unique to every Believer-- and that's a good thing! C.S. Lewis once surmised that each of us was created to see a different facet of God's beauty. Something that no one else could see in quite the same way for the purpose of blessing all worshippers, through all eternity, with an aspect of God they could not otherwise see.
Let's begin to recognize the beauty of Christ in each other, the marvelous miracle that is His Body.
1 Corinthians 12
"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free- and all have been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member, but many." verses 12-14
"The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again to the feet, "I have no need of you." No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these bestow greater honor." verses 21-23a
"There should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." verses 25-26