So...many citizens have already participated in early or mail in voting but Election Day is officially tomorrow, November 3. I imagine everyone is aware that this election season has been particularly nasty as commentators call it the most important election of our time. Whoever winds up finishing second will not be pleased. In fact, authorities even now are making plans to deal with violent reactions in the coming days.
Now I am not going to tell you who to vote for (though you should vote if have not already done so) but I do want to share some thoughts on how we, as Disciples of Jesus Christ, should live in the next few days. And they not all original thoughts. We had a guest speaker the other week when Val and I were away. Then we discovered as we listened to the service that he made some real good points. (full disclosure...the guest speaker was our son...that is one of the things about children...you teach them everything you know and then they often go off and learn some more on their own)
More full disclosure...I read somewhere that pastors often plagiarize in sermons and blogs too...ironically, I can not remember where I read that. But at any rate, our son, Ben, gets most of the credit for these thoughts. He talked about how we should love God and love others and then reminded everyone of the words of I Corinthians as Paul describes what real love looks like:
I Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Our lives should always be characterized by these attributes but, if we are being honest, we know that some days it is simply easier to behave in a loving way...sometimes things simply go our way but not always.
Ben's question for the church congregations and my question for you focuses on a day that may be more difficult. On November 4 (or whenever this election is officially over), will we, those who claim to follow Jesus, be known s those who are patient and kind? Will we be noticed because we do not envy or boast? Will people comment on how we do not dishonor others or seek our own way? Will we be able to forgive and forgo anger, rejoicing in the truth?
It is the hope of Jesus that we are known by our love! (John 13:35) May this love be evident in us every day...even the days that follow elections!!
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