It is true. We must be loving. We must be kind. In all circumstances. But passion about electing someone who promises to do something that legitimately can save millions of babies’ lives and can very possibly prolong our freedom to speak the gospel in its entirety–excitement about that is not wrong, especially when one looks at the incredible unrighteousness that just spewed forth from the other platform. In fact, for my conscience, it was/is difficult to be passionate and public (as public as my little world lets me be) about the election, but it was/is necessary. Post-election excitement because you think you now may have a chance (even though the president-elect is immoral in many areas) to preserve this freedom is not wrong. Excitement when you believe the gospel will have an easier route being taught and lived is a good thing.
But passion without practicality is useless. If Christians do not now use every opportunity to try and reach the lost, stand for truth and righteousness, and train our children to be sanctified in a dark world, we have won an empty battle. The real victory is in souls saved for heaven, of course. Today, I feel the debt I owe more keenly than ever. Today, I found a soul in my little realm of influence and asked her to study the Word with me. In the past weeks and months, I prayed a lot for the best interests of the gospel in the election. I have a chance now to show the world and the Lord and the devil that my heart really was/is in the furtherance of truth in a culture of relativism. So, go ahead and say we must be kind and loving, but please do not say we should not be passionate about the process or elated about the results. Most importantly, let’s get busy using the freedoms that have been prolonged, for now, to teach and practice Christianity…the love, the kindness and the passion for truth.
I really do believe that there is a good chance that millions of future lives will be saved as a result of this week’s voting. I have reason to be very hopeful that the tenor of the Supreme Court will change. I believe Planned Parenthood believes this to be a very real possibility, too. (http://www.mrctv.org/blog/planned-parenthood-devastated-shattered-over-unthinkable-trump-victory) It’s okay to rejoice over this. It is okay to be happy when Planned Parenthood is devastated. It’s okay to be happy about this huge victory for innocent life; a victory over one who vowed to keep abortion legal and accessible…who said babies, all the way up to birth, have no rights. IT IS OK to be excited. It is just not okay to be ugly or unkind or unbecoming of the gospel we hope to share with people who are lost.
In the book of Esther, someone in authority had to be hanged in order for thousands of innocent lives to be saved. Truth had to come to light and, when it did, there was a change of power. It is important to notice that the Jews had light, gladness, joy and honor when the Persian authority, Haman, was hanged. There was a feast, the people rejoiced and “it was a good day” (Esther 8:16,17). They still had a heathen king in power, but God’s people had been handed a reprieve. We may be just about right there today.
I know that last Tuesday in America did not parallel the Persian account in every way. But, still, if God’s people are prayerful and in mourning because of a holocaust of innocent people and then, through an election surprise, we perceive a light at the end of that tunnel, it’s okay to rejoice. It’s okay to have gladness and light in our hearts and homes.
One of my friends commented earlier this week that she couldn’t care less about who is the president of the United States. She’s just about spreading the gospel and living for Him. I think, in times where the two major party platforms are so very opposite in their stances on abortion and gay marriage, we need to care. I think, though God is sovereign and though He will ultimately protect his remnant, He cares about sin. He cared enough about sin that He watched His Son die on Calvary. I believe He cares about–is heartbroken about–the national sin of America, today. So I am going to do all I can to promote morality and righteousness in our land. Most of all, I am going to try and do all I can to bring people to the real remedy for sin, one soul at the time.
There’s a lot of talk about healing a divided nation this week. Healing is what I long for. But I must remember: It is not tolerance that ultimately heals. Ignoring or accepting cancer does not heal it. He is the Great Physician and He can truly heal our land. But not unless and until we fill His prescription.
