News update:  Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat.

So can we please stop making Jesus wear our red and blue?  Jesus doesn’t vote party line nor is He moved by what color a candidate is.  He isn’t concerned by what the media is saying or the pundits are spinning.  He is more interested with truth over talking points. Rather than celebrate the victory of the winning candidate, He probably is saddened by the way people wearing His name have behaved through all of this.

It seems we have lost our minds.  Is this really what we have become?  The most intelligent residents of this planet, the only ones possessing a soul, have lowered ourselves to this?

Name calling.

Purposeful distortion of facts.

Outright lies.

Hateful discourse.

For what?  So that a particular party’s agenda is pushed forward? So that a certain party acquires more or regains power?  That may be what is gained, but unfortunately here is what we have to pay for it:

Civility.

Trust.

Peace.

Credibility.

It is a tragedy when politicians behave in this manner.  It is a travesty when those wearing His name do.

Through out this election cycle, in my neck of the woods at least, God’s name has been used and abused, thrown casually in as a personal reference for ‘your favorite candidate.’

                “Oh, that ‘your favorite candidate’ is such a godly person.”

“You know ‘your favorite candidate’ is a fine Christian individual.”

In fact, I’ve heard, in not so subtle ways, that by endorsing a particular candidate, I am actually doing what God wants me to do.  God stands behind ‘your favorite candidate.’

It applies across the board.

I’ve even heard the exact same thing coming from opposing candidates!  Both are exactly who God wants me to vote for.  If I want to do what is right, I’d better vote for ‘your favorite candidate.’  What’s worse is that much of it has been echoed within the religious community, including from many ministers.  White, black, Democrat, Republican, it doesn’t matter.  It is the same assertions coming from all sides.

It leaves me wondering, is God confused?  Does He not know which one He is really backing or the one we should?

Or maybe, just maybe, in our quest to see our own agenda advanced, we are trying to put words in His mouth.

Let’s let Jesus speak for Himself for a minute.  He doesn’t need us to speak for Him, He’s already spoken.  When asked what the most important thing we should is, He gave His followers two commands wrapped up in one.  We find it several places in the gospels, but here it is from Mark chapter 12:

One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, “Which command is the most important of all?’ “This is the most important,”^[n] Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  “The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

There you have it.  Love God, love others.  While this political season is important, this process doesn’t shift the most important aspect of how we live our lives.  Our love for God should still encompass all we are.

It transcends party and politics.

It supersedes patriotism and personal agendas.

If we aren’t expressing our ultimate alignment with His will and His kingdom in the midst of this political season, we are doing it wrong.  The way we express all things: our convictions and beliefs, our ideologies, our nationalism and patriotism, our political agendas, must filter first through the lens of loving God more than anything.  AND, we must also love our neighbor as ourselves, even those with differing political viewpoints.  Jesus is far more interested in how we love Him and others than our political alignment.  Campaign season is no exception.

All people are made in God’s image.  They have value and worth.  They are loved by God and should be loved by you.  Regardless of if they hold the same beliefs as you.  Regardless of whether or not they agree with you.  We seem to have forgotten that principle when it comes to politics.

So let us be clear.  Whether you are a candidate or a supporter:

• You cannot spread outright lies about an opponent and still be doing what Jesus has said to do.
• You cannot intentionally falsely represent an opponent’s views and still be doing what Jesus has said to do.
• You cannot slander someone else’s name and still be doing what Jesus has said to do.
• You cannot treat those voting for other candidates or those with differing views with hateful contempt and still be doing what Jesus has said to do.
• You cannot run roughshod over social media posting hurtful and harmful things about those you disagree with and still be doing what Jesus has said to do.

Jesus cares less about who you vote for and more about the kind of person you are.  He doesn’t spend time talking about your vote, but about your heart.  If you wear His name, love God and love others.  Do that with your voice, with your vote, and with your life.  The world may never hold to that standard, but followers of Christ always should.