Recently we heard a message at church called “Love Your Enemies”
by Dallin H. Oaks https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/17oaks?lang=eng.
Which has been rattling around in my mind for several weeks.
It is a great reminder during this very unsure time here in
the United States as an election is looming. And I use the word looming,
because many are feeling a sense of foreboding and dread, some are feeling a
sense of optimism, and some seem to not care but are waiting for a fight. A
fight to defend who was elected. A fight against who wasn’t elected.
I’ve heard people comment about this talk and say, “I hope
they were listening.” Referring to “they” meaning those who don’t agree with
them politically, or the “they” who may start fighting, rioting and looting, or
the “they” who the person considers to be wrong.
In pondering all of this, I can’t help but think of the time
as Jesus was preparing to leave His mortal life, His friends, His family, to
atone for all of our sins. As He was sitting with His friends providing them a
reminder of Him through the teaching and giving of the bread and wine, He said,
“Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.” And
they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and
another said, Is it I?” Mark 14:18-19.
I have friends on both sides of the political spectrum who
have, I believe, sincerely prayed about who to vote for and received, what I
believe, very different answers. What if
this is because the answer isn’t based on the outcome of an election? God knows
the outcome of the election already. He knows what is going to happen. His plan
is sure and in place.
What if we need to be asking the question His disciples did
at the last supper?
“Is it me?”
Will I betray the God I love and try to serve by being mean,
hateful and vicious to those I disagree with? Will I call others uninformed,
unenlightened, uneducated, stupid or idiots because they didn’t agree with my
political views? Will I carry a grudge in my heart? Will I be constantly angry?
Will I be unforgiving? Will I be pointing the finger of blame of our country’s
ills at a differing political party? Will I forget the commandment to “love
others as I have loved you”?
I don’t think the outcome of this election is the biggest
problem in our country, I think the way we handle it may be.
In just one week’s time I heard of theft, vandalism and
intimidation happening to friends, coming from both political parties. Do we
really think one side is the ‘bad guy’ or can we try to see that any of us
could become the “Judas” of the situation?
Maybe the biggest question we can be asking ourselves right
now is not, “Who will I vote for? Or “Who did my neighbor vote for?” But “How
will I love and treat those who vastly disagree with me?”
Will I still strive to see others the way Jesus would and
treat them the way Jesus would?
Am I suggesting that there isn’t right and wrong? Absolutely
not! And I believe we need to voice that. I am suggesting that maybe we need to
listen a whole lot more. And dig a whole lot more to get to an understanding.
There may be things that we and our “political opponents” disagree on, but that
doesn’t mean we need to become enemies. I have a friend who is constantly
posting his political views. I have been amazed to listen to the banter of his
friends who totally disagree with him and at times it gets heated. And yet, the
friendship and admiration of each other has not diminished. Why? Maybe because
the idea of intelligent debate is a notable and attractive quality. Maybe
because even if they agree to disagree, they still care enough about one
another to recognize that the relationship is more important than the debate.
We may or may not like the outcome of the election. We need
to be considering how our actions afterward reflect on the beliefs we have.
Will we betray the God we love, like Judas? Will we maybe stumble a bit like
Peter, and discover we don’t want to betray Him?
Can we trust God that He will get us through the outcome of
this, just like He does with everything else? If we can trust Him, then let us
not betray Him.
