Those of Crooked Heart

First and foremost, I would like to remind everyone of the God we serve. The God that tells us to love our enemies, and pray for the ones who persecute us (Matthew 5:44.) We just had a very intense election and I hate to say I am not entirely innocent in this one because I did cut one person from my life. Maybe it was wrong and slightly petty even if I was respectful about it, but that is between the Lord and myself, and that’s why I need Him. He is the only one able to keep my mouth from running too wild. Though I do fall short at times, He quickly convicts me for my actions.

I’m here to discuss the things I’m seeing take place. I see the gloating and boasting from the Right and I see the disgraceful shaming from the Left. We all voted for who we thought was right for this country, so where is that common ground? Where is the understanding that we voted with the knowledge we had when making our choice, which many of us didn’t make lightly. I am watching social media and I think about Matthew 7:3. During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus asks a rhetorical question, “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own?” The following sentences in that paragraph call us hypocrites for we desire to remove the speck in our brother’s eye, whilst still having the log in our own eye.

How can we, as people who voted for the Republican nominee, talk about how “in our faces the Left is” when we are boasting about this win? Did the Lord not say in James 4:16, “You boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil?”And to the people who voted for the Democratic nominee, how can you guys claim the Right is the party of violence and racism when I’ve seen many people wishing harm on the children of the women who did vote Republican, and when the Republicans were the ones that fought for slavery to end?

I think many of us need to look into our hearts and think about our actions and our words. We were terrified of a possible World War 3, yet look around you? We are at war with our own people. We are at war because we all think we are right and shun anyone who disagrees. The Lord detests all the proud of heart (Proverbs 16:5.) How are we to love our neighbors when we harness grudges and hate? How are we supposed to find understanding and respect for each other when our pride doesn’t allow us to see people for who they are, outside of what they identify as politically, sexually, etc?

The Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), that is why we are told to not lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5.) All we see are the presentations people show us, which aren't entirely accurate because many of us display different versions of ourselves depending on our environment (home, work, family, etc.) But the Lord Himself goes before us, walks with us and will never leave nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8), and that goes for all of His children. So even if we see someone on a regular basis, we can't even begin to have the level of understanding the Lord has because we've only stepped foot in our own shoes, so who are we to shame people, wish ill on people, and hold hatred for people?

I’d like all of us to remove our masks, look in the mirror, and ask ourselves if we possess the qualities we would like our children to have. I know I don’t. My heart? Yes. My passion? Most certainly, but the pettiness that rears its ugly head from time to time? Nope. The resentment when I don’t receive the same energy, time, and effort I put in? Not at all. God tells us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3.) He also says in Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs." Are we building people up or are we breaking them down? We need to realize that we can't fight hate with hate; otherwise, this pattern will never end, and before we cast stones, we must make sure, we, ourselves are innocent (John 8:7.)