By now, all the “brew-haha” of the mid-term elections are over. Its been a long and caustic election season that has left many worn completely out. I’m one of those casualties. I detest campaign seasons. They are replete with mudslinging and endless TV ads, mailboxes full of mailers, not to mention the assault on your senses when it comes to social media.
Here’s the thing, there are winners and losers…and the world continues to turn.
Please don’t get me wrong, elections matter and elections have consequences. The brutality of the season, however, wears on my senses. I saw someone post to Facebook the idea that once we’ve cast our votes, there should be some code inserted into our TV’s, Facebook feeds, USPS delivery that would immediately cease all political advertising. I’d vote for that!
My congratulations to the winners and my condolences to the losers aside, I’m just grateful its over.
What we have to do now is continue to live and be in our world. There’s always going to be some crisis, some impending doom, some issue that is pressing. Every politician seems to have an answer to the problems, and indeed some of those answers are quite genuine. However, when the answer to the problem becomes throw the current bums out because they ARE the problem, that’s not a real solution. When elected officials begin to consider what is best for the general populace and not necessarily for their next election or for their corporate sponsors, then we might be getting closer to a real solution.
I’m not pushing necessarily for one party or the other, but I agree with a statement James Talarico voiced on the campaign trail. He addressed the issue of turning Texas blue (or Democrat). He said he wasn’t interested in turning Texas blue, he thought purple was what was needed. In other words, neither party should hold complete power anywhere, that can lead to a real mess. No need to compromise, no need for debate, just force through the will of the party. One party never represents the view of the entire population. Each party has some valuable insights and contributions to make. When we cease talking to each other, and can only demonize one another, we are never going to truly arrive at workable solutions that serve the greatest good.
In 1 Timothy 2:1-2 we read…”I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Politicians aren’t always going to get things right. They aren’t always going to support the things we support. They aren’t always going to say things that fall pleasingly into the public sphere. Our job is to hold them to account for their actions, while continuing to pray for them in the office they hold.
Again, elections have consequences. If your preferred candidate lost, I really am sorry if that makes you anxious, disgruntled, or dejected. If your preferred candidate won, I pray that gives you some sense of ease about the future and direction we are headed. But win or lose, we are all still God’s children. We all are in this together.
May God bring comfort to those who need to be comforted. May those celebrating in joy, be encouraged to do so knowing we all have work to do to bring God’s kingdom here on earth. May those who feel forgotten or cast aside, renew their hope of being seen and heard. May God grant us unity of spirit and purpose.
Your companion on the Way,
Pastor Tom