HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND?

Okay, I get it. Following any contest, people have to vent. They do it with sports, reality tv, and politics. And, the more important the contest, the more vitriol in the venting.

Here’s the problem… as believers… our lives are supposed to rise above the natural. We’re supposed to reflect, reveal, and represent Christ…even when we’re disappointed…even when we believe a grave injustice has been done… as many, whether rightly or wrongly, feel in the wake of this election. Remember, the Jesus we’re representing hung unjustly on a cross with nails through His flesh and asked God to forgive those who did the nailing.

It seems to me that those believers who are expressing anger over the outcome of the election are doing so out of their desire to see the values of Christ… as they see and understand them… embraced by others…by our country. This is a very positive aspiration. The problem is that, by reacting with such harsh negativity, they are actually moving away from and helping to encourage others to move away from the values of Christ. It’s never good or effective to seek to push the values of Christ in a way that is contrary to Christ.

e.g., John 13:35 – "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

The question is… who does the world need more… a particular kind of President or Jesus?

In responding with such harsh negativity, people put themselves in a category of people who, though they claim to be the ones most spiritual… most like Jesus is really the least like Him.

e.g., 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 – "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?"

I understand the disappointment and discouragement that comes with putting a ton of emotional investment in something that doesn’t work out. It’s a part of life. It happens to all of us. It happens when marriages collapse, our kids make self-destructive choices, we lose our jobs, our houses go from great investments to financial anchors, and…when we really believed a different direction for our country is called for and desperately needed… but it doesn’t happen.

In all of these cases, how are we supposed to respond? With uncontrolled hatred and anger or with faith… even though we don’t understand? (See Proverbs 3:5-6) Which response will lead to some kind of positive result? Which response will best represent Christ? Which response will ultimately be best for our country, our families, and our own personal well-being? Which response are you choosing?