8 Bible Verses About Love…Hate…And Politics …

Liberals and conservatives are both evil…

It must be true…

I read it online…

Liberals, claims a post, are evil people…

Lusting for power and wanting to control everyone’s life.

Conservatives, says another post, are evil people…

Hating the poor, loving the rich, destroying the planet.

Sigh.

Wait…

Here’s another post…

A post seven of my friends like.

These seven people don’t know each other…

Some are very liberal…

Others very conservative.

And yet they all like this one post.

The post calls for unity…

And quotes a Bible verse…

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:17

How would our political discourse change if we followed that verse?

What if we followed its command to “honor everyone”…

What if we wrote posts and said words in which we try to…

…Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

What would the world see…

How would it be changed…

If our words showed love for other believers…

Regardless of their political views…

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:35

What if our words focused less on our fear of opinions that differ from our own…

But instead showed that we fear God?

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 

But even if we honor others and love the brotherhood, How  can we “Honor the emperor”?

When he wrote that line, Peter didn’t know about real political evil right?

Oh, wait…

The Roman emperor was persecuting and killing Christians…

Peter himself died a martyr’s death…

As did Christ.

Still Peter says “Honor the emperor”

And Jesus says…

…“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  Mark 12:17

(Sigh.) (Again.)

It is so hard for me to follow these verses.

I have strong political opinions.

I want to shout them to the world…

Sometimes angrily!

And yet…

In the midst of my political beliefs and fears…

In my eagerness to write and speak angry words…

I remember that God tells us…

To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people Titus 3:2

In the midst of my struggle between love and hate…

I remember God’s final verdict on which one will win the day…

“Love never fails.” 2 Corinthians 13:8