Politics, Siblings, and the Kingdom of Love

I'm interrupting my series of posts for helping restructure the brain as part of the renewing of the mind, because I want to share some thoughts as we head into the 2012 election. I'm writing this without time to edit and polish or qualify, so I trust the reader to be generous-hearted and discern the spirit of what I'm writing even though it's poorly articulated. The topic of politics has many layers and dimensions to it; I'm addressing only one issue concerning it.

In American politics we have a two-party (mainly) system which over time has deteriorated into extreme polarization. What used to be relatively "conservative" and "liberal" thinking (each with its strengths and weaknesses) has become "right" and "wrong" in the minds of those strongly attached to one or the other party. If you lean Republican, the Republicans are "right" and the Democrats are "wrong"; if you lean Democrat, the Democrats are "right" and the Republicans are "wrong."

My point in this post is not to figure out how to extricate ourselves from this political quagmire, but to express the prayer and desire in my heart for myself and my American "siblings" (Jesus followers).

Fallen humans are hopelessly bent towards seeing everything through the lens of "right" and "wrong". We who are in Christ have been given an entirely different set of eyeglasses through which to look at and understand life. The former way of seeing is to operate out of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as our source; the latter way of seeing is to operate out of the tree of life as our source. To live and operate from the tree of life is to live in the transcendent place of love where life isn't measured according to right and wrong but according to the life of Christ Jesus where all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Col. 2:3).

I have three wonderful biological siblings for whom I am increasingly grateful with each passing year. Each one has proven him/herself to be a faithful and loyal follower of Jesus. And yet we don't all see American politics through the same lens for a variety of reasons. However, because we recognize that we are citizens of another country (God's kingdom) where self-giving love is the law of life, we relate primarily as such citizens, rather than as citizens of the US. In this way, love wins, and relationships stay strong.

In the same way, all of us who follow Jesus must learn to relate as "spiritual siblings", brothers and sisters of another nation, the kingdom of God. If a brother leans in a different way politically in this "foreign nation" where we live now, it's imperative that I remember where my true citizenship lies and love and respect my spiritual sibling as one who is just as desirous of the best as I am when it comes to worldly political positions. Or if he chooses not to engage in the political process at all, to accept that he is doing so with best intentions for society's well-being. As we approach this election, if we make the effort to actively embrace our spiritual siblings, no matter what their political convictions, and if we remember that our spiritual brothers and sisters all over the world (who don't think the same as we do politically) are more a part of us than those who may agree with our political persuasions in the US, then we will transcend the pettiness that draws us in when a particular political stance becomes too important to us; therein the world will know we are Jesus' disciples by our love for one another (John 13:35).

Self-giving love is the law of God's kingdom, and Jesus' call to His followers is to live now according to that law. So when political differences arise, even if I could win an argument, it doesn't mean that I should. Operating out of the life of Jesus means that self-giving love rules, not being "right". Or, if it's appropriate to make my point, it must be done in the way of love, which means that I don't respond in a way that crushes or belittles my brother or sister nor with a desire to prove that I'm "right." In the kingdom where God (who is Love) rules, preferring others is of more value than being "right." This is costly for us fallen ones who have eaten of the forbidden fruit of knowing right and wrong apart from Jesus and who consequently want desperately to be "right", but it is the life-giving way of the tree of life, the cross of Jesus. After all, this short journey in a foreign country is where we learn the way of the kingdom of love and become like the King.

Following are some practical things that may help us keep perspective as we enter this final week before the election:

1. Motivated by love, make the effort to not couch your position in spiritual-sounding language that implies that God is on one particular side so if your brother or sister is voting differently than you, they are "wrong" and against God. (There really are legitimate reasons why good and faithful followers of the Lamb are on both sides of the political divide and why some don't engage in it at all.)
2. Motivated by love, ask the Lord to help you remember to invest time and heart in praying for the candidates that you are not for, speaking and praying blessing over them (amazing how that begins to soften the heart towards the perceived "enemy").
3. Motivated by love, if you believe you should vote, pray as you vote, consciously acknowledging that your citizenship is in the kingdom of God and that your hope is in His rulership even in this upcoming election. In this way, your heart is guarded and protected from anger (if your candidates lose) or false hope (if your candidates win).

As for me, for relatively well-thought-out reasons and motivated by love (as best I can know my heart), I won't be voting; but many of my siblings in Christ will vote and will vote for opposing parties; I honor and love and thank God for you! Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus!