In just a few weeks, there will be a national election. Many people have already voted, but some are waiting for November 3. It is hard to see our nation so divided over many different issues, some to the point of anger and separation. It is even harder to see the family of God divided. We see things differently according to many different influences. We all have predetermined slants to our politics: our family histories, our peers, our sources of news and our jobs. It is concerning to see the division and hatefulness within the body of Christ that has come as a result of being dogmatic. However, as Christians, our dependence on the Word of God and what God says about how we should live and treat others should be the primary influence on our worldview. Bob Pierce, former president of World Vision, made a statement that reflects how our thinking should be led, “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.”

I have heard many harsh comments within the family of God making absolute statements about other believers and how they feel about issues. I think we should be careful to hold our absolutes for what God has declared in his Word. We must let those truths guide how we view the world and politics, and how we show God’s love to the world – believers and nonbelievers alike. I have friends who disagree with me about politics and for whom I am going to vote, but that does not mean they are not my friends or my brothers or sisters in Christ. I want to try to understand their viewpoints and even learn from their discernment on issues. Prayerfully, as we both depend on the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives through God’s Word, we will be the “salt and light” in the age in which we live!