“Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32
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Over the last two weeks, we have watched political rhetoric at its height. First the Republican and then the Democratic conventions presented their respective candidates and their positions with speeches, endorsements, music and balloons. Hyperbole and attack language filled the convention halls. And throughout these two weeks, Facebook and Twitter have been overheating with responses from people on the left and on the right.
This week, I read the words of one friend who wrote, “I hate Hillary Clinton.” I was very surprised by his words, since we first met at church and I know he considers himself a solid Christian. I felt his language was inappropriate for a Christian, but I hesitated to respond to him I thought about simply unfriending him, but finally felt I had to address his words directly with him. I wrote back to him that I was disappointed to hear a fellow Christian use the words “I hate” about a person. I explained I was upset by his statement knowing he considered himself a Christian, reminding him that we can disagree with another person, we can hate their policies, but our Christian faith calls us to set aside all hate and anger towards persons.
My friend responded later that day in the most wonderful way. He wrote on his Facebook page that “a friend” had called him on his language and he realized his words were inappropriate for a Christian. He apologized for the statement, and then went on in a more reasoned way to explain his disagreement with the Clinton campaign. And I found myself so filled – filled with forgiveness for my friend, filled with repentance for any ways I myself may have committed the same acts, and filled with gratitude that God had led me to call out my friend on his words.
There are three full months of campaign still ahead for us. There will be many outrageous statements and efforts to demonize others by both sides of the race, Republican and Democratic. Let’s commit to setting aside bitterness and anger, wrangling and slander and malice. And let’s agree to call out anyone who claims the name of Christ but acts in ways that deny that allegiance, whether they are candidates, campaign workers or friends down the street. Let’s act in ways that will lead others, on every side of politics, on every side of any debate, to see the love of God in our words and actions. Let kindness, respect and love be our guiding principles even in the midst of disagreement.
Prayer: Eternal God, you have called us to seek justice and love kindness. You have told us that what we do to the least, we do to you. Help us in the coming months to see your face not only in the faces of those with whom we agree, but also in the faces of our opponents. Give us the grace to speak with love and kindness even when we disagree. Let us lead with love so that all the world will look and see in us the love of the God who welcomed us even when we were sinners, acting in opposition to God’s kingdom. For I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
With Words If Necessary 
What I love about your sermonettes is that you speak to the issues we are dealing with every day. I, too, find the lack of civil discussion so totally wrong that I considered stopping political talk with friends. My husband reminded me that principles are important, and expressing them, is important. So, I’ve tried to respond to hateful language with love…and, not the same bitterness I’ve been given. It does work!
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