A Pastor's Election Prayer

I’ve been praying for my congregation during election season.  Here’s my prayer: “God, make them different. In a contentious time in our society, make us abnormal.  Unusually composed.  Extra-ordinary.  Strangely distinct.” 

Why does your pastor want you to be different?  Because anger and anxiety are normal today.  
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Anger: The rhetoric of rage is normalized. Blame. Villainizing. Neighbors become opponents and fellow citizens become enemies.  
Anxiety: Fear and worry are normalized. There is hopelessness about the future. Or resignation that nothing will change. 

For the record, the Bible does not endorse either of these dispositions. The Christian life is simply different, neither angry or anxious. God’s people ought to stand out in this social climate.  I’m concerned about pastors who post political statements cut and paste from FOX or CNN.  They have succumbed to the dialect of the age, and employed the tools of anger and anxiety.  

So what does “different” mean? Regardless of election results, how will we be different in the coming days?  

Among the original twelve disciples, there was a Jew employed by the Roman government to assess and collect taxes from his own people. Matthew was seen as a traitor to his people, a “government guy.”  

Also listed among the Twelve was Simon the Zealot.  Zealots were an anti-government party, or more accurately, a revolutionary movement that wanted to overthrow the Romans.  The Zealot movement led to a Jewish revolt in 70 AD. The Roman empire squashed the uprising and destroyed Jerusalem, including the temple.  

When Jesus called Matthew and Simon, we are given every indication that something changed.  We don’t hear anything about Matthew going back to the Roman tax trade.  We don’t hear anything about Simon showing his Zealot card.  Apparently, the labels “tax collector” and “Zealot” became secondary identifiers.  They were now disciples of Jesus Christ.  Once Jesus called them, something was different.  They had a new Lord with new priorities.  

What was different for the first disciples? A core body of Jesus’ teaching is called The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  You might call it The Constitution of the Kingdom of God.  And in it, Jesus does an exercise of compare and contrast.  He repeats a pattern: “You have heard it said . . . But I say . . .” (Matt. 5:21-22 and following). By doing this he demonstrates that the Kingdom of God is different.  Here are samples of the Sermon on the Mount:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (5:10)  You’re supposed to stand up for your rights! Defend yourself! Win at all costs! Suffering unjustly and being persecuted?  No one says that.  

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (5:44)  You’re supposed to defeat your opponents.  Never back down.  Love your enemies?  No one says that. 

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (6:14)  You’re never supposed to admit wrong.  Forgive?  Ask for forgiveness?  No one says that.   

“Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this the Law and the Prophets.” (7:12)  You’re supposed to say, “Whatever someone does to you, DO IT BACK TO THEM!”  No one says, “Do to others what you would want done to you.”  

This is different from any rhetoric you will hear today.  It’s different because the One who said it is different.  And you are different because the One who has called you by name is different. 

Election day is November 5th. Vote thoughtfully and prayerfully. It is the duty of God’s people as citizens of a nation. On Wednesday, November 6th, you will wake up. It is likely that many will be angry or anxious. Regardless of what happens, you will still be a citizen of the Kingdom of God and Jesus will remain Lord.  And you will still be called to live differently.  

Don’t post stupid stuff (Matt. 5:37).
Be gracious to those on the other side (Matt. 5:7,44; Matt. 7:5,12).  
Be truthful without being arrogant or demeaning. 
Be people of remarkable peace (Matt. 5:9).
Be composed and full of holy confidence in the Lord (Matt. 6:33-34).  

A tree is known by its fruit (Matt. 7:17). Others will look at you and say, “You’re different. I want to be around you.”  And you’re different because you have the same Lord as Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot, Jesus Christ, the eternal King.