It’s election season here in the U.S. If you live here then you know what a crazy ride it is. There has been a lot of talk across conservative social media about an awakening. People that might have not usually partaken in the political rhetoric are becoming more aware of issues facing our country because they are dealing with them first hand. Here in Wyoming inflation has been a big issue especially with the influx of incoming out of state residents moving in and driving up property taxes. There is also more awareness of our open borders being an issue because of the border we share with Colorado and how they are dealing with an illegal venezuelan gang taking over an apartment complex. 

Suddenly citizens who haven’t been interested in politics most of their lives are awakening to these complex issues suddenly facing them and are beginning to take action in the political realm.

I’m no stranger to politics, but I find myself being “awakened” this political season as I begin to see issues through a Biblical standpoint. It’s been a humbling experience to say the least, but more than that I feel very foolish and ashamed at the way I let myself be manipulated by world views.

I’ve mentioned this before, but I grew up in the girl boss era where young women in my generation were influenced by the heavy hand of feminism in the U.S. We were led to believe that we could do anything a man could do and probably do it better. We were led to believe that we are wholly independent and responsible for ourselves. It was our body and our choice. Self-love and acceptance ruled above all else in our lives. Being a stay at home mom was beneath us and seen as an oppression. Climbing the corporate ladder was the ultimate goal.

I am ashamed to admit that I fell for these ideologies, even worse I could almost see the case for abortion. After all, it was shoved down my throat from an early age that career over motherhood was the right thing to do. And science wasn’t clear about whether a fetus was a living human so is it actually murder?

Looking back at these opinions that I held through most of my early 20s and 30s makes me sick with shame and I can only thank God for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Even though I claimed to be a Christian back then, God would have spit me out of his mouth for my luke-warmness. I was of the world, not of Christ.

1 John 2:15-17 reminds us, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Likewise Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:14-17, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

If we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior then we are a new being, not living according to fallen worldly standards. We are set apart. 1 Peter 1:14-16 states, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

Before I fully committed my life back to Christ in 2020, I wasn’t taking my role as a Christian seriously. Conforming to worldly ideas didn’t seem that big of a deal to me back then, but now I see how much I was disrespecting this free gift of salvation Jesus was offering to me.

Jesus teaches us that we must love God above all else and then love our neighbors as ourselves. No where in these commandments does it say love yourself, put yourself first, follow your desires, disregard the teachings of the Bible.

But that was exactly the way I was living my life. Pride was my idol and I wasn’t looking at every situation through a Biblical lens.

The Bible tells us not to murder, and yet the world tells us abortion is a woman’s choice because it is her body. (Exodus 20:13 )

The Bible tells us to humble ourselves, and yet the world tells us to be selfish. (James 4:10)

The Bible tells us God made us in His image male and female, and yet the world tells us gender can be whatever we want it to be. (Genesis 5:2)

The Bible tells us to help the poor and needy, and yet the world tells us to leave it all to the government, surely the government wouldn’t use the citizen’s funds for corruption. (Proverbs 31:20)

The Bible tells us to not adopt the ways of foreign nations that conform to pagan ideologies, but the world tells us to let everyone and everything into our society and way of living. (Deuteronomy 11:13-17)

Looking back at my political views or entanglement with the world, I see now that there is a Biblical answer to every political stance on issues.

With the election coming up, I don’t want to be manipulated by the world any longer. Christ is my savior and the Bible is the word I’m to live by. It is the final say on all issues that I am seeing in our world right now.

I have to make a conscious effort to remind myself that my opinions don’t matter. I can’t exalt myself above God’s word. It’s easy to conform to the ideologies of the world, especially when you are criticized, canceled, abandoned, even imprisoned for staying true to God’s word, but Jesus warned us of this.

Jesus said in Mark 13:13, “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

This Kingdom Journey is not an easy road to walk. We need to make Christ a priority in every aspect of our lives, including our political views. 

Jesus tells us, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other…” Matthew 6:24

I want to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ this election season that if you are unsure about issues you should support, go straight to the Bible. Pray. And ask God for wisdom.

We can’t sit idly by and brain rot. We need to be ready with answers to hard questions we might get asked by non-believers. We need to do this all in love and compassion, but with confidence in our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

After all Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save it.