As I sit here and write these words, I do so in a time of stinging rebuke. I originally began this editorial with some pithy barbs and snarky retorts (you’ll have to take my word for it, but there were some real zingers in there – absolutely classic), bemoaning the actions and attitudes of Christians in our current political climate. But, I was just warming up. I had the hammer ready to begin my prophetic diatribe regarding everything wrong with Evangelical Christians as it relates to politics. I was going to lay down a scathing reprimand of misplaced allegiances, political idolatry, and worldly attitudes masquerading as holy living and righteous indignation. I was already imagining being hailed as a new and brave Jeremiah.

Then it hit me. Perhaps you know the feeling – a little bit of sadness and dread that something is not quite right, which escalates into a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach and becomes creeping weight that settles on your shoulders and chest. Then the unknown dread comes into focus: conviction of sin. That’s what happened to me as I labored over this editorial. Right as I was hitting my pontificating stride (it truly was glorious – great accolades were a virtual certainty), disaster struck. God in his grace rebuked me and showed me the log in my own eye. I was guilty of the very thing I was so piously pointing out in my fellow Christians.

The words I wrote dripped with sarcasm, self-righteous indignation and virulent critique. My words even contained some good but hard truth. However, my words lacked the most important thing: love. Wherever I wrote from and whatever I wrote for, love for God and love for my neighbor was not driving my words. My motivation was self-exalting and graceless. My concern was not for my fellow believers. It was to help me feel better about myself. I forgot who I am (or more pointedly, whose I am) and I forgot the love and grace I have received in Christ.

I offer this confession not as a means of self-catharsis, but in hopes that you, if you take time to read these words, may pause and consider your own heart and ask yourself an important question: “Does love motivate my thoughts, words and actions toward others?” I don’t mean some kind of squishy sentimentalism that just accepts everyone and everything exactly like it is without correction. I mean the love God showed us in Jesus Christ – a sacrificial love that confronts sin in all its darkness and then gives itself completely to redeem people trapped in it.

Our concern as Christians cannot be to win a culture war or a political battle. The words “war” and “battle” rightly suggest there will be winners and losers. But, when victory becomes our goal, love is a clear impediment to us conquering our ideological enemies and must be jettisoned. In today’s political climate there is little evidence for even a speck of love and grace. Our only goal becomes to destroy and conquer our political enemies because they aren’t just wrong, they are evil and dangerous.

We are in the midst of the most divisive political climate of our lifetime, perhaps the most divisive in our history as a nation. So my plea is that you will not be like me. Don’t be driven by self-righteousness and a desire to be right at all costs. Don’t be purveyors of mean-spirited or ill-informed rhetoric. Instead, speak truth in love that is seasoned with grace. In this political time period, may Christians be known as agents of reconciliation and redemption who are defined by grace towards those who hate us and love for our neighbor.