Elections: Your side won, now what?

So, the election is just around the corner - mere days away.  In a week or less you will (we hope) go to bed knowing who won, or you will wake up the next day and find out.  (Unless it's really close.  I sure hope that doesn't happen!)

So  - your side won!  Congratulations!  (Maybe!)  Now what?

First, no gloating.  I'm writing this first draft about three weeks before the election, but I'm betting that at least 40% of the population will vote for the loser in the presidential election.  That means that four out of every ten people you might meet are delusional idiots - right?!  Hopefully not.  They may have different values than you, or be less informed, but their hopes are being dashed.  They are fellow Americans.  They are people you should care about.  Some of them even hold their views as a result of intelligent thought.  (Imagine that!)

Second, your candidate(s) won't solve all (or perhaps any) of the problems we're facing in this country.  Our problems are huge.  Support your candidate(s), but be aware that given the need to get laws through legislative bodies, special interests, changing circumstances and so on, that many of those hopes and promises will be modified or left unfulfilled.

Third, be humble.  Your ideas and values may be wrong.  You may be able to learn from those on the other side of the political spectrum.

Fourth, be loving toward those who lost.  Your turn to lose will come; I can guarantee it.

Fifth, don't forget to continue to support those who are newly elected.  Let them know when you support them and disagree with them.  Let them know why.  They are our servants, not our bosses.  Pray for them.

Sixth, don't write off your side if your candidates have to go against what they said they would do when they ran for office.  Sometimes politicians change their points of view or actions because they want to get political favors.  But sometimes the necessities of governing mean that they must do things they didn't want to do at one point.

Lastly, we must decrease the amount of distrust we Americans have for people who hold other political views.  "We must all strive for unity, peace, and a re-examination of how we can learn to live with each other better at both a national and international level."  (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/adrianwarnock/2012/10/us-presidential-elections-a-nation-divided/

As we pray for our leaders, let's also actively work toward being understanding and kind toward others.

Elections: Your side lost, now what?

So, the election is just around the corner - mere days away  (Won't you be glad when it's over!).  In a week or less you will (we hope) go to bed knowing who won, or you will wake up the next day and find out.  (Unless it's really close.  I sure hope that doesn't happen!)

So  - your side lost!  I'm sorry!  (Maybe!  Depends on whether I won, right?!)  Now what?

First, no nastiness toward the winners.  I'm writing the first draft of this about three weeks before the election, but I'm betting that at least 40% of the population will vote for the loser in the presidential election.  That means that four out of every ten people you might meet are delusional idiots - right?!  Hopefully not.  They may have different values than you, or be less informed, but they are fellow Americans.  They are people you should care about and treat with kindness and dignity.  Some of them even hold their views as a result of intelligent thought.  (Imagine that!)  Also, about four out of every ten people agree with you (more or less)!  Maybe next time your side will do better!

Second, your candidate(s) wouldn't have solved all (or perhaps any) of the problems we're facing in this country.  Our problems are huge.  Some, perhaps much, of what the winning side wants may not get done.

Third, be humble.  Your ideas and values may be wrong.  You may be able to learn from those on the other side of the political spectrum.

Fourth, be loving toward those who won.  Your turn to win will come; I can guarantee it, even if I don't like it.

Fifth, don't forget to continue to support those who are newly elected.  Let them know when you support them and disagree with them.  Let them know why.  They are our servants, not our bosses.  Pray for them.  Governing well is difficult.

Sixth, be glad that we live in a land where rulers and governors at all levels come and go and no one has to go into exile or is shot or imprisoned because they were on the losing side.

May that long continue.

Is God working in your church?

How do you know (if God is working in your church)?  Maybe your church isn't really growing numerically  or isn't evangelistic enough.  But are those the only measures, or even the most important?

I just finished reading an article about stress on pastors.  One of the major factors in pastoral stress the author mentioned was the strife and discord in churches, much of it directed toward pastors.

I've had the privilege of teaching the same (or similar) Introduction to New Testament courses at various institutions in Illinois and Colorado.  One of the joys of teaching such a class is reading large amounts of the Bible in a short time.  Recurring themes tend to stick out.  One of these themes is that of unity and lack of conflict.

Dr. Robert Alden shared some thoughts on Psalm 133 once in class.  The psalm begins "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"  David then continues these thoughts by likening unity to the dew from the mountains falling on dry Jerusalem and to the performed oil poured on Aaron.

This theme of unity continues in the New Testament.  Paul tells his readers to be devoted to each other in brotherly love (Romans 12:10).   Hebrews 13:1 exhorts the readers to continue in brotherly love.  Paul prays for a spirit of unity among the Romans (15:5ff).  Paul commands his readers (Ephesians 4:3) "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."   Paul isn't saying that we should only try to keep the unity if we feel like it or to make a small effort, but rather make every effort.

If you are in a church that acts mostly in unity, where there is little gossip, where people actually listen to each other and care about each other, where decisions are made after thought, prayer, and consideration, and dissenters are seriously listened to, might it be a sign that God is at work?  That people are being shaped by God's word and prayer and the Holy Spirit?

We often think that if God is at work our attendance will increase, and that may be true.  But God is at work in other ways as well, just as powerfully, but perhaps more quietly.