We all know what tomorrow is here in the United States. It is election day. Before I get into any of that, I hope you have either taken the time to vote early or have a plan for voting tomorrow. It is a right that we, as citizens of the United States of America, have and should not take it for granted or think our voice and vote do not matter. It does. The democracy that America is supposed to stand on only functions properly if its people exercise the rights given to them. Please vote.
I have read in many places people of faith trying to calm the nerves of others by saying things like, “No matter who wins the election on Tuesday night (or in the weeks to follow) Jesus is still king.” Or perhaps, “Remember our hope rests not in a President or in our government, but in Jesus.” Here is one more, “It doesn’t matter who wins, God is in control.” At some level, they might contain some truth (although I really struggle with the last one), but honestly, they seem empty. If I were to say those things, I would be diminishing the moment we are in. Those clichés appear to say what happens in the election doesn’t really matter. But I believe it does matter. I am willing to bet you also think it does. Whether you and I are voting for the same candidate or not, we both believe it matters, probably more so than in the past.
Perhaps that is the thing. When we feel the stakes are high, like now, we are more invested. We care more about the outcome. If our candidate wins, hubris takes shape in our lives and is acted on. If our candidate loses, we are more easily angered. We don’t like being wrong. We want to be right and we try to find ways to explain what happened that prevented the outcome we were hoping for. We may become more negative and go into greater depths of despair when things don’t go our way.
Therefore, however the election turns out, whether we know on Tuesday night or two weeks from now, stop and breath. Don’t immediately react. Decide how you react. Take a moment. Read this scripture about the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-26
“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.”
Let the Fruit of the Spirit be what guides you in the coming days. This doesn’t mean be passive or simply to “get over” the result, but it means to decide how you will process the result and act in the aftermath. Maybe a peaceful protest is in order. Maybe there will need to be demonstrations or marches. That is part of what makes this country what it is. But what the world doesn’t need are winners who gloat and losers who are bitter. We need people who are passionate about what they believe, work to bring it into fruition (pun intended) but do so with grace, compassion and empathy and all those prior characteristics given in the Galatians reading.
Remember, the sun will rise again and the world is not coming to an end, despite how it might feel. Some things are in your control. Some things are not. When you stop and breathe, think about what is in your control (i.e. how you react) and how that can follow the Fruits of the Spirit.
Because let’s be honest, we all need more fruit in our diet.