A Christian's First Priority: Love in a World of Political Discord

I’m going to start this post with a quick disclaimer.

I am not an expert on politics. I like to think through political issues, and I try to stay somewhat caught up on world events. However, the things I’m focussed on with this blog and through my short stories and my upcoming novels transcend current events. I want to drive discussion and bring people from different backgrounds together. 

I want all of my posts and stories to be rooted in encouragement and a desire for unity.

Therefore…I will not be endorsing any political candidate or political party. I understand that at the end of 2020, in America, we will be having our next general presidential election. I also know that any topic pertaining our current president is rife with vitriol on both sides.

I will tell you, I have some problems with both major political parties. I will also admit that I have some biases, as we all do. But my goal in my writing is not to align myself with any politician or party. If you want someone to tell you who to vote for, there are plenty other blogs you can read.

However, that does not mean I will completely avoid current political issues. It does mean this: My intention is not to change your mind on who to vote for; my intention is to encourage you to think deeply through relevant issues and come to a conclusion on your own.

That being said, I want to talk about a disturbing pattern I’ve seen, and I want to encourage you to break the pattern and rise above…

A Christian’s First Priority

This post is directed at my Christian readers.

If you are a Christian, what is your first priority?

The short answer: Jesus.

If we have out our faith in Jesus Christ, and if we’ve been made new by the Holy Spirit, our lives should be lived out of the reality of that transformation. Jesus is our foundation, and the gospel is our mission.

And we know from scripture, everything we do is to be rooted in love.

We are to humble ourselves and serve others. We are to share the good news of the gospel with the world around us. We are to pray and intercede for our friends and family and city. 

Our hope and goal is to see others come to faith in Jesus. And our even greater goal is to become more like Christ. 

As Jesus said, the greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. So, love is at the root of everything we do, and our duel missions of sanctification and evangelism should pour directly out of this love of God springing from our new, regenerated hearts.

I think most if not all of you, if you’re a Christian, can agree with that assessment. So, why do I bring this up?

Even though we have good intentions, most Christians are distracted from this priority.

And, in my assessment, one of the biggest distractions to the Christian in America in 2020 is political tribalism.

Political Tribalism

Whether you love him, hate him, or try to ignore him, you must admit: Tribalism has gotten worse and more intense in recent years in the age of President Trump.

Again (see my disclaimer above), I will not be defending or condemning the president, his supporters, or his opponents. 

But, let’s be real: He’s a divisive person. In the last few years, the political divide between Republican and Democrat, conservative and liberal, has only widened, and among Christians, it is just as bad if not worse.

I’ve seen Christians insinuate that true Christians would never support someone like Donald Trump. I’ve also seen Christians say the opposite, that if you don’t support the president, you are deceived and helping the enemy.

In the end, it seems that Christians have become so swept up in politics that they’re even more vocal about politics than they are about Jesus.

Is this a fair assessment? Perhaps not, but let me explain why I’ve come to this conclusion.

My problem does not lie in being vocal about political issues. I also have no problem in letting your Christian worldview inform your understanding of politics. In fact, I think Christians should care about politics and current events, and they should care about what’s going on in the world, and they should make informed decisions in the political arena when they can. I have no problem with that. 

My problem is when our understanding of politics entangles itself with our understanding of God, to the point where we act like our political position is automatically authenticated with spiritual authority.

Also bad, I’ve seen many argue for their political stances with religious conviction.

Even if you believe strongly in what you believe, no political issue is on the same level with the foundation of your belief in Jesus. The problem arises when people see you more as a “culture warrior,” or a “conservative” or a “liberal,” than they see you as a Christian.

If your Christianity is so entangled with your political position that people think to be a Christian (or to be accepted by you as a fellow Christian) they’ll have to automatically agree with you politically, there is a huge red flag.

No party or president is worth your undying devotion.

Some early church Christians like the Apostle Paul used Roman citizenship for the advantage of the gospel, but the early Christians were not aligning themselves one hundred percent with Rome.

It’s okay to be passionate about politics, but of you’re more easily identified by your political tribe than with the Body of Christ, you should evaluate where your priorities are.

Back to the Basics

If you’re a Christian, no matter your understanding and leaning in politics, we have in common the things of primary purpose and significance.

We all love Jesus. We all want to increase in the fruits of the Spirit. We all want to be more like Christ. We all want to spread the gospel. And we all want to see the people around us be drawn to a saving faith.

We all want to see revival and spiritual awakening, right?

So, let’s the foundation of love impact all of our reactions. That means, don’t automatically argue with those whom you disagree with politically. Seek to serve those you disagree with. Seek to love them, and treat them with the dignity of an image-bearer of God, even if you hate everything they stand for.

Let love be the foundation!

I don’t want to be known for my political affiliations. I want to be known as a genuine follower of Christ filled with genuine love for those around me.

The world is bigger than American politics. Even America is bigger than American politics! There’s more to life than President Trump. And there’s more to Christianity than politicians jockeying for power. In fact, Christianity isn’t about power struggle at all—it’s about hope for the humble and downtrodden.

If you’re a Christian, your first priority is Jesus and His love changing you and shining through you.

And His tribe is more vast, diverse, and beautiful than any political movement.