A question has been nagging at me lately: How do I behave like a Christian in an election year? The world has grown exponentially negative. Anxiety lurks about. Peace is hard to find. In my experience as a pastor, I have never seen mental health at such a low point. And all of this applies to our political climate in America, which tends to come to the forefront in a major election year.
Though we care deeply about the issues that are at stake, perhaps we should be not only be concerned about the results of the election but also about the effect our politicized and polarized climate is having on our souls. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus invited his disciples to clearly discern what’s happening in our culture and prayerfully decide what kind of character we will develop in challenging times.
As I was meditating on how this applies to my own heart, I started with the beatitudes of Jesus. Jesus uses the word “blessed” eight times, describing a life that bears the approval of God. Here is what a godly life looks like! Taking Jesus’ way of speaking of the good life, we can be reminded of the way we have been called to walk as his people in the midst of our current cultural moment. Here are eight ways we can model the blessed life in the midst of a tumultuous election year.
Blessed are those who believe that the world is changed more by prayer than by opinions (based on Matt. 5:3).
Opinions are everywhere. Those who truly pray are few. If we find that it is hard to get people to listen, and if we believe only God can change hearts, why would we not pray more? Speaking up for truth matters, but will we also have the faith to believe that interceding for others makes more of a difference than loudly and defensively inflicting our strongly held opinions?
Blessed are those who remember that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world (based on Matt. 5:4).
The emotions of fear and anger are running high in our culture. Many feel like giving up. Instead of trusting in ourselves to “fix” our country, we must remember that we are also citizen of a larger and everlasting Kingdom. Our job is not only to be politically engaged for the good of our communities; it’s to call people to Christ.
Blessed are those who stop complaining and start contributing (based on Matt. 5:5).
Anyone can complain. But wouldn’t it be more beneficial to serve? Making a small difference in someone’s life often does more good than simply winning arguments, especially on social media. Faith without works is dead; so is making a stand without taking action.
Blessed are those who develop an appetite for what is honorable rather than what is hateful (based on Matt. 5:6).
If we are not deliberate in our media consumption, we may develop a taste for the distasteful. Unfollow angry people. Refuse to click on the stories that spew false truths and realities. Media should inform our opinions, not deform our character. And remember that true and lasting transformation happens through the Spirit of God and Scripture.
Blessed are those who look for the best in people and not the worst (based on Matt. 5:7).
How easy it is to forget this simple grace! We want others to give us the benefit of the doubt. Why would we not extend this same courtesy to others? Instead of jumping to conclusions, let’s slow-walk our judgements about others (James 1:19).
Blessed are those who choose to be undiscouraged, undivided, and undistracted and who delight more and more in the goodness of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ (based on Matt. 5:8).
Focusing on myself leads to discouragement. Focusing on my disagreements with others breeds division and discord. We are made to delight in God! Put another way, to focus on anything other than God will leave us dissatisfied.
Blessed are those who learn how to disagree with others without feeling compelled to dislike them (based on Matt. 5:9).
Culture defines love as accepting and celebrating someone without question. Culture demands that if I disagree with someone, then, by default, I must dislike them. It is better to define love and to model our disagreements by looking to the Lord instead of imitating popular practice.
Blessed are those who put up with the evil in the world and yet never give up on the goodness of God (based on Matt. 5:10).
If you decide to do what is right, you can count on being wronged. But we trust in the goodness of God even when the going is rough. Indeed, we would rather be thought wrong for doing what is right than to be thought right for doing what we know is wrong.
Of course, these thoughts address more than the upcoming election season. In the worst of times, let’s aspire to be the best of people. Jesus calls us to be faithful and fearless. He invites us to develop an appetite for truth and goodness, to act rather than react, to be undistracted from our delight in him, to be strong in our convictions and gentle with our compassion, to put up with much, but not give up on living lives that glorify him.
My prayer as we engage in politics and the 2024 election season is best captured in the words of the Apostle Paul: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). May God give us the grace to walk in the way of Jesus.
