Lessons from our summer series on politics.
This past summer on our podcast, we did something we’ve never done before. We did a focused series on Christianity and politics. This summer series was an effort to equip our listeners to be agents of unity in their contexts. The result of the last election, the fallout, and the responses of many since have proven the importance and need for these lessons.
We were blessed to have some fantastic guests teach us. Many are authors who have studied and written about specific aspects of Christian political engagement. I had twelve conversations over three months, and while I’d encourage you to check out the whole series, here are seven applications that came out of the project:
1. Spend Less Time on Political Media
Steve Bateman, Paul Miller, and others spent time on this point. Whether it’s social media, cable news, talk radio, or podcasts, many of us spend too much time consuming political commentary. We may think of it as a harmless hobby, but it affects us. If we struggle with political idolatry (and many of us do), this kind of content is like gas on a fire.
2. Assume the Best of Others
We are bad at extending the same allowance for nuance to others that we give to ourselves. I can see my political decisions as virtuous calculations which weigh all the facts. But I can see the decisions of others as morally compromised if they don’t wind up taking the same side as me.
Rather than just assuming that other Christians aren’t thinking carefully, a more godly approach is to assume the best (1 Corinthians 13:7). My experiences, biases, and instincts are just that: mine. As Derwin Gray so helpfully reminded us, at the end of the day, I don’t have to agree with your positions to love you and treat you as God has commanded.
3. Remember We Don’t Know Everything
This is an extension of the last point, but it’s also just a reminder that political decisions can be really complicated. Who among us is competent on every political issue ranging from interest rates and tax codes to trade policy and military strategy? If we think we are omni-competent, we fool ourselves and have probably been listening to too much political media. Humility understands that we don’t know everything, and while I can reach a decision on a vote with genuine conviction, I must remain humble enough to admit that I could be wrong.
4. Remember History
John Wilsey, a history professor, helped us on this point. Politicians and pundits often describe the current moment as the most important moment of our lives. Everything rides on this election, we are told, and if one candidate loses, the other candidate will burn down civilization. But just because they say it doesn’t make it true. Something can be both important and kind of, well, routine. History puts our current moment in perspective. This election, for example, was important. But was it more important than 1864? That’s not so clear.
5. Think Locally
Justin Gibboney and Kaitlin Scheiss were especially helpful on this point. Many of us are unnecessarily fixated on national politics. National politics are important, and I hope people make informed decisions. But I think many of us overestimate the importance of national politics and underestimate the importance of local politics. My vote for sheriff, district attorney, and mayor all have more direct bearing on my neighbors than my vote for president. But how many of us know the name of our district attorney? I hope many of us will shift some of our focus away from national politics in order to love the neighbors around us better.
6. Remember What We Have In Common
Dan Darling is so helpful here. We can become so wrapped up in our political convictions that they become our identity. When that happens, we can see more kinship with our political allies than our brothers and sisters in Christ. If this has happened, it is as sure a sign as any that politics have become an idol for us. We have more in common with brothers and sisters in the Lord than we do with those outside the body of Christ, no matter how much we like their politics. We still believe what Mark Dever said on our show several years ago: “The Christ we share is more important than the politics we don’t.”
7. Pray
This is not an afterthought or a cop-out. Prayer ought to be central to how we think about any of our problems, including political disunity. If we disagree, we should pray that we can agree in the Lord (Philippians 4:2). If we do not know what to do, we should pray (James 1:5). If we are dismayed about the state of the world, we should pray (2 Chronicles 20:12). If we’re worried about our leaders, we should pray (1 Timothy 2:1–4).
Scripture speaks about prayer as our greatest weapon against all that is wrong in the world (Mark 11:23). We tend to think of it as a last-resort or an escape hatch. Prayer is what we think we should do when we can’t do anything else. But the only work of lasting value happens with the help of God (Psalm 127:1). Let’s make a habit of asking Him for help before we do anything else.
Friends, these are just a few exhortations from the guests who have helped us over the summer. I pray these are helpful for you, and I hope you will check out the full series. May God help us to respond to this last election in ways that are godly, truthful, and promote unity.
Prayer Requests:
- Ask God to reveal any idols which have crept into your heart as relates to politics.
- Ask God to show you which brothers and sisters to whom you need to show more love.
- Ask God to make you more prayerful in how you think about the events of the world.
