My Candidate Didn’t Win!
Before you think that this is a political article to complain about the recent elections, realize there is already more than enough of that sort of thing. I don’t need to do that. I could not add any other complaint to the long list of complaints already flooding social media, the news, and even the hallways of many of our churches. No, my point in this article is to ask the question,
“What do we do now?” Fortunately, although the Bible does not address how to live in a democracy, because the world knew no such thing back then, it does tell us how to deal with authority.
“Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.” (Titus 3:1–2, NASB95)
These were Paul’s instructions to Titus as he pastored the church at Crete. He told Titus how to set up leadership in the church, how to live his faith before the watching world on the island, and what to teach those in the church to do in order to live out the faith they claimed. In these instructions, he told Titus to teach the people to be subject to rulers and authorities and to be obedient. Now, obviously, this is as long as those authorities do not contradict scripture. In Acts 5, the disciples were arrested for preaching Jesus. They were warned not to do so again. Scripture tells us their response. “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29, NASB95)
On the day I write this article, it is “Crystal Night”. On November 9, 1938, Adolph Hitler ordered the attack on the Jews located throughout the nation of Germany. Robert Morgan talks about this in his devotional book, On This Day, “On Kristallnacht (“Crystal Night”), November 9, 1938, the Nazis unleashed their full fury against Jewish communities in Germany. Windows were shattered, houses stormed, synagogues burned, families brutalized, Jews imprisoned.” 1
Faced with this choice, most Christians would see clearly the need to resist this order. Sadly, most did not then.
But we are not faced with this impossible choice…yet. Right now, we have had an election. We are waiting for the election results to be certified. Lawsuits have been filed challenging the results. There are questions about irregularities. So, what do we do now?
Well, I know what we DON’T do. We don’t malign others who disagree with us. We don’t gossip about things we don’t actually know. We don’t belittle candidates, voters, other Christians who voted differently than we did, and we
don’t join in with those who do.