The problem is that Christ uttered the words, “render to Cesar what is Cesar and to God what it God’s”. These words have plagued Christians for millennia. We love Christ and have yet also have strong political beliefs. If we had to choose, we would obviously choose Christ first. Donald Trump is a good president and I support him by voting for him in the ballot box, but I also care passionately about my neighbors. They have rainbow flags in their front yard and Black Lives Matter stickers on their car. I cannot discount my obligation to them in Christ. What am I to do?
I am 37 years old and would venture to say that most Christ followers between the age of 25-45 grew up in families who had a strong connection between Christ and politics. The pro-life movement to Israeli nationalism have all been a part of my upbringing. From these experiences, I have learned harnessing the Holy Spirit to a political movement tends to corrupt the former without blessing the latter. Claiming God’s hand in current politics is marketing and pride in the worst extreme. Knowing that my neighbors will look at a political sign in my front yard as an impediment to know Christ, I refrain from posting one.
I do think that the Republican party is better for our country and it stems from my deep beliefs in free will, free markets, and constitutionalism. But at the end of the day I really don’t care. I care about Christ, my family, and my community. And this is my order of importance.
If you take God and Christ out from the equation, the state and its rules take the place of precedence. Many on the progressive side of the ballot do believe in Christ and our common bond is stronger than any political divide. But there is a large majority who do not. The progressive movement is strongly anti-god. For this reason, winning at the ballot box is of paramount importance and why rioting is a response to loss. The state has become a god worth fighting for.
In this environment, I grow up looking to make peace with my neighbor. I desire to win them to the true God of creation and show them that the false god of politics is a lie. Vote for whomever you desire, but know that it is inconsequential to the real truth of our lives. Christ came, lived, died, and lives again for you to have life in the fullest. I choose not to have a Trump sign in my yard, because I care about you more than I care about Trump. I choose to not to put my full political beliefs on display, because this is not my real flag. I choose to lose an election because in my loss, you are my gain.
There are many injustices in this world, but Christ did not seek to right any of them. He came and did not address the racial injustices between the Jews and Samaritans. He did not address the political injustices of Rome against the Israelites. Nor did He address the slavery rampant in the culture. He did seek to redeem the hearts of men and call them to live a life full of the law and His grace on the cross. So, vote for whomever you like, but do not begrudge the man who votes differently from you. Do not let politics divide the body of Christ. And do not let it divide our country.
We are one country by the blood of thousands of men. We are a great nation because this grand experiment is still functioning without the shedding more blood. That is a miracle and that should be celebrated every four years. The hand of God is on our nation. We know that because we are able to peacefully transfer power every four years and we do not worry about taking up arms against my neighbor. Can we finally see our founding fathers as men who did indeed have wisdom and foresight? Our system of government is rapidly becoming the longest continuing form of government in our world today.
In closing, let us look to the election and ask Christ, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matt 22:36-40).
Dad Devotional 