Does Anything Go in an Election Year?
Monday night was the first presidential debate of the 2016 election season. As reports about the event began, I heard about Clinton’s shimmies and Trump sniffs. These of course are the most important things about the debate. (Read lots of sarcasm here.) There have been accusations, rumors, and outright lies told and retold during this election cycle as we average Americans try to decide who we will vote for on election day. Many of us are confused or just disgusted. I, as a pastor, am concerned about how Christians are to respond to what appears to be politics as un-usual.
First Timothy has something to say to Christians as we participate in the election process. This pastoral letter is giving advise to the young pastor Timothy. It touches on a wide variety of topics, but what is of most significance to me is found in chapter 2. Verses 1-2 read, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” I emphasis the “everyone” because it hits many of us where we live. We do not want to pray for (the well-being not the death of) everyone. We do not want to give thanks for everyone. Trump supporters do not want to give supplications on behalf of Clinton. And Clinton supporters do not want to make intercessions for Trump. And yet, if we are a Christian nation as so many people want to believe, that is exactly what we good Christians should be doing. And it doesn’t end with politics.
Throughout my life I have met individuals who really don’t like me. I mean REALLY don’t like me. And in return I tend not to like them either. Whatever may have happened between us or whatever we may have done that the other dislikes, the instruction remains the same–pray for everyone. I would add especially for the individuals you don’t like or who have hurt, offended, or betrayed you. This is a good practice for the people who follow the one who came into the world to forgive us all. But that is not the reason for the instructions found in 1 Timothy.
Why do we do this? Pray for everyone? Those in authority (or trying to become a person in authority)? “So that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” (v. 2) Praying for EVERYONE is a benefit to us. We are instructed to do this to make our lives better, more godly, more dignified.
I belong to Facebook and I love it. I enjoy connecting with friends, family, and brothers and sisters in Christ across the country. However, what I have read on Facebook about the presidential candidates in the last few months is anything but godly or dignified. And each side is just as bad. When I read the posts these days, I feel like I am in the middle of a gossip ring delighting in the very worst that can be said about individuals. What would happen to Facebook, our nation, and the election if all the people who claim to be Christians actually did what we read in 1 Timothy? Actually prayed for the welling-being of EVERYONE. I don’t know about you, but I sure would like to see what would happen!