Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
The Nevada Caucus is meeting today to give the Democrats the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice. President Trump is engaging in rallies all over the country to generate support for his re-election. It is election year…and it’s going to be a long nine months.
I was involved in politics for 25 years when I lived in California. I’ve seen it from the inside and the outside. The truism that echoes is “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I made the decision to pull back from all that involvement when I moved to Arizona. But I still follow it all with interest.
I watched the speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast a couple of weeks ago and was struck with his assessment of the political scene. He admonished those attending with these words:
“How do we break the habit of contempt? Some people say we need more civility and tolerance. I say, nonsense. Why? Because civility and tolerance are a low standard. Jesus didn’t say, ‘tolerate your enemies.’ He said, ‘love your enemies.’ Answer hatred with love.” — Arthur Brooks
You only have to turn on the television and watch one of the political events to see and hear the contempt. I look back to my time walking the halls of power in Sacramento and remember the civility from those I disagreed with or who disagreed with me that is so sadly lacking today. It doesn’t surprise me that many are retiring from the rat-race of Washington.
Christ only gave us two commandments and the second is “ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:39 NLT) As believers we have written instructions on how to do this: be patient and kind, quit being rude, don’t be proud or boastful, give grace, don’t argue. Contempt only exacerbates the problem. We are to love in ways that show hope, faith, and endurance. It’s not all about me. It’s all about you. God loves you.
If we believe that God is in control, then the outcome of this election is on His calendar of events. We do our part and sprinkle our conversations with love.