Post-Election Reflections. The writings on my walls; they add up!

In the wake of Election Day, 2024 I am left with questions rumbling around in my head.

How do I, as a Bible believing Christian, move forward with this?  At times, I feel paralyzed.  The left seems ready to lay the hammer down on all Christians, assuming they all voted one way.  At the same time, the right is so dogmatic that in my opinion, many of them disregard the Christlike aspects of democratic ideals.  It is confusing, frustrating, maddening.

Sometime told me, "let your light shine.  Sit with us and hold space for our despair.  As our lights dim and start to flicker, share your light."

It's time, I think; time to put my processing into words.  The past two days have been challenging when it comes to feeling hopeful.  I have felt discouraged;  This election didn't go the way that I wanted it to go.  Yesterday I listened to Madam Vice President's concession speech and it brought some lightness; at the same time that there is lightness, my brain wants to go to these questions:  "How could...?"  "How come...?"

And other questions...

• How do we move forward?
• What is my role?
• Can I engage in good faith with people of differing political views?
• What do I make of the polarization in our society?
• How do I maintain my optimism about out ability to have difficult conversations that build up others, that add salt and light to the world?
• How do I maintain hope and trust in my God?

On that last one, I pray, I stay in the Bible, I do my best to be obedient to God's commands, and I trust Him.  He is, after all, the only one that I am beholden to.

In her concession speech, Madam Vice President Kamala Harris said:

At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty, not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States, and loyalty to our conscience and to our God. My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign. The fight, the fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people. A fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation.

Where do I, as a Christ follower and person made in the image of God, put my loyalty?

What do I do with my fascination in how people organize, and talk about that organizing?  With how we envision the world being a better place, and how we talk about it?  And the role of politics in all of this?

Deep down, I believe that most of us ultimately want what's best not only for ourselves but also for our communities.  We just have differing views of what's best, and how we get there.  

This gives me hope.  This drives me forward.  It would be easier to stay silent.  To not ask questions.  To not put myself out there.  Sometimes, that is the choice I make.

I want to be led by your light, God.  I want to be led to your dwelling.

The thoughts that I didn't say.

They seem small.  Maybe they are.

Before the election, I had wanted to make a Facebook post saying something positive about the candidate I planned to vote against, and a constructive criticism of the one I was planning to vote for.  

I had wanted to say this because of how difficult it can be in our highly polarized culture to see the good in "the other side".  How many times have I seen this, and thoughtlessly moved on? 

I let what I regard as good to be spoken of as evil.  

I don't always speak up because sometimes, if I am to speak about what I believe makes for peace, I may put myself in a situation that inadvertedly increases conflict.  Thus in the end, less peace.  

I haven't always been strong enough to stand my ground in the face of conflict.  It is my hope and my prayer that as I stand in little things, I may stand in bigger things, too.

So here are some of the little things.

President Trump had been criticized for listening to music, and swaying, for an extended period of time at a rally.  It was framed as bizarre by the media.  Many people used it as an opportunity to question his mental acuity.  I saw on social media some criticisms that felt unfairly over the top about this.  However, I didn't see any problem with it.  To me, it seemed like a moment of connection with his supporters.  I kind of liked it.  If I were a supporter of his, I would've wanted to be there and enjoy that moment.  I like to dance; sometimes when I'm processing things I like to walk around and think and move; not everything can be deep thoughts all the time.  I like that he took a moment to do that.  I didn't like how "the other side" took advantage of this moment to criticize him.

Overall, I tend to vote as a Democrat and align myself with the Democrat party politically because I feel that the Democrat platform as a whole aligns more with Christ's teachings than the Republican platform.  So, before I knew anything about Harris on her own (as opposed to Madam Vice President), I already had bias that would have led me to choose her.  

As I started following her speeches and her policies, my respect for her grew.  I appreciate her hope, her optimism, her experience navigating high stress trials, the value of her experience as Vice President, and her policies that support the marginalized in our country.  I was happy to cast my vote for her.  

However, no one is perfect and I don't agree with her on everything.  One area of disagreement that I had was the sarcasm and attacks in her speeches.  I didn't agree with that choice, even though I see it as fundmanetally a reaction to the even bigger insults that have been hurled her way by "the other side".

However I do not think that two wrongs make a right.  I do not think that because somebody insulted me, that I am entitled to insult them back.  I know that there are many people that I trust and love in this world that say that sometimes, the ends justify the means, and that you have to do the hard stuff to make the goal happen.

What kind of person do I want to be?

I hope and I pray that I will not be that person, because I do not believe that's right.  I understand not everyone has this conviction, and I don't expect them to.  I don't have all the answers, and what's right for me might not be right for everyone.  Some have insight I don't.  That's okay.  All I can do is do what I feel is right.

We will have very hard times.  I do want to stay obedient to my God, even when it's hard.

Obedient in how I speak; obedient in who I fight for; obedient in every area of my life.

No one should repay evil for evil; we should always seek to do good to one another.  We should seek to do good to everyone, even those that harm us.

If my doing good will prevent a better good in the future, I need to think about that and be wise and discerning.  There is a lot in the Bible about wisdom and discernment.  This does not mean that we make excuses for abuse.  

How many times have I been silent when I should have spoken?  I tell myself that it's okay because we can't and shouldn't speak on everything that we hear, especially in this age of information overload.  However, I do believe it's time.  To speak more.  To keep on listening and learning.  And also to speak.

I want my words, and our words, to help us as a culture to...

• Move in a direction of peace
• Avoid the trap of othering, of demonizing the other side
• Recognize others as fellow humans (worthy of respect and compassion) (made in the image of God) even when we disagree...strongly
• Move towards empathy, connection, and peace.  Not away.

This is the kind of person that I want to be.  One starfish at a time.  I'm going to do the best I can, because I owe my allegiance to God.  And this is what I feel like my calling is.  It's going to be hard, but I'm going to try.  

In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Responding with peace and compassion...

I'm not always sure how.  However, I can place one foot in front of the other.  

Keep on walking.  One step at a time.