Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Election season is over for another year, but more importantly election ad season is over. I’ve had the same phone number since my first cell phone which means that number is on a lot of lists in a lot of states. Around this time of year, I start getting texts from all over that say, “vote for this person or else your enemies win,” or “vote for this person because they are the greatest human being to ever walk the earth.”

The worst part about a lot of these ads is how often people wholeheartedly believe them. Whether they extoll the virtues of one candidate or condemn the wickedness of their opponent, people are ready to jump in with both feet because it’s what they want to believe. And from that belief, they start fights with the people they are supposed to love the most.

Division and disagreement are nothing new, especially when discussing politics. The problem comes when those fights breach the walls of the church. Trust me, I want you to be politically active, vote your conscience, and take a stand for the issues that matter to you. But if you call yourself a Christian, I pray that your relationship with Christ would come before any politician or political party.

Paul reminds us that we are united with one another through Christ. And I hope that your connections of faith are stronger than your political differences. It is a hard tightrope to walk, but you are able to be humble, you are able to value others, and you are able to let someone be wrong on the internet.

Let them know you are Christians by your love!