For The Saints Celebrating Trump
A short pastoral word for my fellow brothers and sisters
Yesterday, I wrote a short word for my fellow brothers and sisters who have heavy hearts following Trump’s election as the 47th president of the United States. You can read that here.
Growing up, I was taught by my mentors and leaders, that whenever you won a sports game, in the midst of celebrating, you go over to your opponent and shake their hand. Sometimes even an encouragement could be in order. It’s a simple principle of sportsmanship, but is built entirely on the foundations of upholding solid integrity and prioritizing what truly matters in life.
To be the winner was not all there is.
The words of Apostle Paul have not stopped ringing in my head these last few days. In Romans 12 verse 10, he writes, “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.”
I think this is what my mentors and leaders were trying to teach me in those moments of victory: you can honor your opponent, even in their loss, and in fact, you ought to.
And to boot, honoring the losing team is even easier if you’re the victor.
Go figure.
The Apostle Paul did not have sports teams in mind when writing these words to the first church in Rome. There was no winner/loser paradigm when Paul was writing these words. He wrote these words with much more significant issues in mind: the unity of the church.
Though these words were written for the entire Roman Church, I can’t help but think about how it is much easier in practicality to love and honor others when you are at an advantage. It is much easier to love and honor someone when you have more resources, when you’re more gifted, when you have the upper hand, or when you’re an insider, or in this case, when you’re the winner.
As I see it for our political season now — there is an open opportunity to honor your opponent and political adversary, who is also your brother or sister in Christ. Will it be easy? Not at all. For it is much easier to rub salt into the open and fresh wounds of the one who lost.
And yet, I ask my fellow saints who are on the winning side of this presidential election to consider such a challenge while in a time of celebration: deeply love and honor your fellow saint who has lost and is grieving.
In these elongated and dragged out years of heightened politics, my convictions for the winning side has remained the same: check in on the losing side, see how they are doing, and find a tangible way to love and honor them.
Because you see, there is an opportunity right now to deeply love your fellow brother and sister, and in-so doing, choose unity in Christ, rather than embed yourself deeper into your political side.
There is an opportunity to honor the ones in the family of God who are sad and upset, by hearing out their grievances (if they would be so gracious to share).
There is an opportunity to share how you voted your conscious as they did too, but ultimately that your votes ought not rise above your shared allegiances to Jesus Christ.
This will take humility on your end, but as I wrote yesterday to those grieving, I say the same thing to you: cling to Christ, and I am certain He will help you.
But why? Why choose to deeply love and honor your fellow brother and sister in the faith who sits on the other side of the political aisle?
Because, there is now more than ever, a watching world, filled with people who do not follow Jesus Christ, who are watching ever-so closely to see if the candidate who had the backing of over 70% of white evangelicals will take on the posture of Jesus or some other posture that is not of Christ.
They are also watching if his voters will do the same.
How you choose to love and honor the “political other” matters significantly right now and from God’s kindness, He has given us directives that are so clear to follow — “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.”
Choose Biblical humility and Christ-centered unity over political allegiance.
Choose to help patch up the cracks that divide the bricks of the Church.
Choose to live out John 17 and not the political ideologies that divide the people of God.
As winners of this political season, take the lead in honoring.
Cling to Christ and ask Him for the humility to honor the political other.
And remember that earthly leaders and kingdoms are temporary, but God, His Words, and His Kingdom is forever.
Very well done, Young. I think often of John 17 right now. Praying for our country and for believers to show one another kindness in this time of stress. In counseling we remind people that eustress is still stress. And that change equals loss. Good article and well stated. Bless you, Brother Young, and I pray for your congregation and for all those in our community.
This is amazing, thank you!