By the time most read this, we’ll have a new president. You may be angry or outraged. Or you may be happy about the outcome. Either way, we’re a divided, troubled, wounded country, on November 9th, and before the election.
I’ve been reading the book of 1John, challenged by the call to love one another. In fact during this ugly election season, I’ve been convicted to think more deeply about how we need to respond to those we disagree with, in general. In this time when our country faces neck-to-neck political divisions, when irreconcilable theological differences split churches in two, when hashtags such as #Blacklivesmatter even exist, when estrangement tears families apart, and when marriages face sad deaths, my highly sensitive self falls to my knees for answers. I long for peace in families, communities, neighborhooods, and in our nation and world.
Are differences so irreconcilable? Is there no balm in Gilead, no remedy for the relational turmoil throbbing behind closed doors and across borders?
Scripture blesses us with divinely inspired medicine for all that ails — the hate, division, hurt, betrayal, unforgiveness and bitterness invading our hearts. Scripture offers gems of wisdom when we meet head-to-head with those who make our blood boil.
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12
“Bless those who persecute you, bless and don’t curse.” – Romans 12:14
“Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great.” – Luke 6:5
Meditating on scripture gives us clean hearts and tames our tongues, helping us put on the brakes before responding with rash, serpent tongue responses when facing antagonists, enemies, cantankerous bullies and those who ruffle our feathers.
Would you rather respond with tirades, rants, lawsuits, guns.. or roses?
I choose roses. I choose roses because we’re called as the faithful to love those who harm us, those with different political beliefs, those who betray, and even the unforgivable. I choose roses, the full-bodied fragrant flower of love, because, it’s unlikely, like the lotus blooming from mud, that a flower with stems filled with thorns ends up beautiful.
A week before the election, I sat next to a man at a restaurant, striking up a conversation. Somehow he brought up his choice of the presidential candidate, not my choice. At that moment I forgot sound advice about avoiding discussions about politics and religion, stating my own point of view about why I disagreed with his choice. It seemed as if an army of red ants suddenly crawled beneath his buttocks as he shuffled and shifted in his chair, as the veins on his neck burst full bodied red, his face filling with a pint or two. A sudden invisible force made me lean back a few inches as I caught my breath that had stopped for several seconds, giving me a chance to breath in a long, deep breath of love, so my tongue could speak words of love.
I said, “it seems we have different opinions, on this issue, however, I do agree with one thing you said about the health insurance issue. Otherwise, I hope we can agree to disagree.” Tensed up shoulders relaxed from the base of his neck, the blood level in his face dropping to one on the Richter scale — thankfully, no volcanic eruptions. By the time we got up from the table to go our separate ways, we were buddies, he even gave me a great big teddy bear hug.
I learned a valuable lesson from this lovely man I disagreed with, who also told me he loves Jesus. The next time I meet someone with an oppositional view, a loud mouthed voter of everything I disagree with, a troublemaker in the family, or a random bully I meet on the street, at work, or on Twitter, I’ll send along a bouquet, a double dozen of words of love. Or I’ll turn the other cheek, give the cloak off my back, or at the very least, I’ll speak the truth in love. Even if my own Italian-Irish scorching hot blood starts a-boiling, I promise myself, I’ll do it anyway. With the grace of God.
“If we love one another, God lives in us.” – 1 John 4:11
“I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to them who hate you.” Luke 6:27
“Jesus cried out as dying on the cross, ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do”. – Luke 23:24
One of us will have won on election day. We’ll wake on November 9th with a new president leading our troubled country. In one way, it doesn’t really matter, because the bottom line is that we’re called to love regardless who wins, and we’re called to put our hope in God.
When Matthew asked Jesus,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment?”
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
LOVE, LOVES. NOTHING LESS.
WE LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!
I choose roses too! Again and again. God’s grace is always available yet those forget-me-dooz are in my vase sometimes! I want the grace and peace and joy instead. May we learn and remember!
This season has been a rugged one. I want to love and be at peace in this world. I want the world to live peacefully together. So, my world will have to be where I begin. Those sweet notes, a bouquet, a gentle hug, those loving things make all the difference. Thanks for reminding me and encouraging me.
PS…I am from Irish-Italian roots, but I also have some Scottish and English and a few others that are of the calmer variety whereas my precious Mama was the Italian-Irish mix with more potency. One day she hurt an older man in the assisted living. A meeting was called which I had to attend alongside Mama. As we walked away from the meeting where she was told to do that no more or she could not live there, she is walking 10 feet ahead of me and says, “Your Mama’s Italian got the better of her.” and I added “And Irish too.” She shook her head in agreement. : )
“I want the world to live peacefully together. So, my world will have to be where I begin.”..this reminds me, of the song we sang in church, “Let there be peace on earth, the peace that begins with me”. How interesting you are from Irish-Italian roots..and how you recognize that ‘potency’ you say your mom had! Robust! I just LOVE your story of your mom! “Your Mama’s Italian got the better of her”! And your response..PERFECT!
A good reminder! Loving words undo so much conflict too. I think it AIDS in listening and in being heard.
yes, listening is a huge part of love isn’t it! Thanks for visiting Traci!
I have been struggling with the division and hurtfulness otherwise seemingly kind people have been throwing out there. This post has really helped me to see the big picture, to remember God’s words are never changing, that we should always choose love, even for those who don’t agree or are even upset we don’t agree. Thank you!
Your so welcome Beth, I’m glad these words shed some light!
YES YES YES!! Thank you for this, Kathy. Oh, how we need your message now more than ever before.
You have blessed me with God’s truth and the most IMPORTANT lesson to uphold in this election, the outcome, and our future dealings with every person. Oh, how I wish more people were plugged in to the word of God and the Spirit was soaring through the hearts of many, convicting them of this commandment, this mission, this mandate from the ONE who offers us an everlasting, perfect, sacrificial love. It’s just so hateful out there. I pray for us all, and pray for God’s glorious light to shine on those dark hearts everywhere. May His power break open the walls of division and crumble down the barricades we have built in our country. Oh, how I pray we can rise once again a great united states.
I am sharing this with hopes that many can be inspired and reminded to love one another, love our enemy, and love the God of LOVE himself.
Thank you for your words Christine and your deep, crying out prayer for more love, not divisions in our country.
May we rest in the challenge of love!
This has been a fractious time. You are right. We’re worn and wounded. I’ve been quiet in public, in conversations with those whose opinions differ from mine. At home, though, I’ve been stronger in my statements than usual. I’ve even used a couple of unkind names, something I never do. Even if I don’t fight with my fellow man, the meditations of my heart have been unpleasing. So, even we who have not engaged in the hard-to-understand fight have some work to do.
Thanks for your words here today.
Gosh thank you Natalie for your honesty. It has taken me much contemplation to find the narrow way in dealing with those I disagree with..it’s a constant, process of prayer.
You made so many good points. Jesus said that all the law and the prophets could be summed up in 2 commands: love God and love others. That’s the bottom line and what we are called to do whether the others God brings into our lives are easy to love or not. Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you Donna for visiting, and for your comment. It’s so hard to love ‘the other’ but scripture helps us topple our instincts to make the ‘other’ our enemy. Warm blessings!
Love, love, love ❤❤❤❤❤
You are speaking my heart and language. I’m also loving Romans which talks about God usin kindness to bring people to repentance. I guess that’s why he let’s it “rain” on both the righteous and unrighteous
Thank you Allie, we’re speaking Christ’s language and the language of God. God is love! I will have to look more deeply into Romans about God using kindness.. and yes..you are right, God let’s it rain on both the unrighteous and righteous!