Next Tuesday, tens of millions of Americans are going to be disappointed with the outcome of the election, and even in our small community, there will be many who preferred a different outcome. Depending upon how much media these people have been consuming, they might even feel like our republic is about to die, and that evil is going to run roughshod throughout the land. So extreme has been the hyperbole, this might appear to be the ushering in of the apocalypse. While both sides of the political spectrum speak about peace and unity, many will feel like they are in a hopeless place of division.
May I make a suggestion? Today, make a list of the things that you are most grateful for. Make it a long list, at least fifteen or twenty things. Then, review your list to see how many of those things are going to be adversely impacted in a direct way by the outcome of the election. I expect that when you look at your list, you will see a bunch of things that you are grateful for that you will continue to be grateful for no matter who wins the election. And then, once you have made your list, take the time every day for the next week to give thanks for these things. Give thanks leading up to the election, and continue to give thanks after the election.
Every day, there are multiple forces hard at work trying to influence you, your attitude, and your behavior. It just so happens that the forces seemingly working the hardest right now are political parties and their billions of dollars. Unfortunately, it is the nature of a political battle that one side will win, and the other will lose. It is also true that elections have consequences, and some may be significant. However, one of the consequences of political parties purposefully attempting to divide our communities as they try to win elections does not have to be the division of families, friends, and neighbors. Those relationships are among the things that you should be most grateful for, and we need to be wise enough to recognize that those trying to win elections think their goal is more important than your relationships.
Your neighbor is not a white supremacist, and your sister-in-law doesn’t spend her nights trying to figure out new ways to kill unborn children. Those people may vote for a different candidate than you, but when you are having a crisis, they are the folks who will be there to get you through the tough times. Be grateful for them, and for the things that are already blessing your life. Don’t allow the fear mongering that is currently clogging the airways to skew your perspective about the things that should matter most to you. You have lots to be grateful for, and you are wise enough to separate reality from the picture that political machines are trying to paint. So count your blessings, say your thanks, and remember that life will continue beyond next Tuesday – no matter who wins.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron