Today I voted. As did many Americans.
This is a super great thing as most will tell you. However, people and their behavior around voting, who won, who lost, etc. is what is NOT a super great thing. So on this voting day, let us not use this as a time to argue over who’s candidate is better then another. Let us not use this time to argue over who’s political party is better then another.
Personally for me, sometimes I don’t want to vote because I have to face people who SO STRONGLY want you to think just like they do. Sometimes making you feel bad when you don’t.
Today though, I voted. I didn’t vote against a person or against a political party. I voted for those whom I wanted to vote for – that meant I voted republican, democratic, AND independent. But no matter how YOU voted it’s okay because it’s YOUR right to vote how YOU choose. I won’t be judging you for who you voted for or why you did – but I will be watching for your behavior on how you act when your particular candidate wins or loses. Because in the end of a political race there is always a winner and always some losers. Will you spend the next four years grumpy and angry? Will you spend the next four years furious with those you know that voted another way? Or will you set aside your differences and love each other for the people you are and the good things you do?
Friends. It’s a choice. It’s YOUR choice.
Today is a good time to think about the words of Pastor Rick Warren, in a daily email that I received in my inbox this week:
“It’s important to remember the difference between acceptance and approval. You can accept people without approving of everything they do. There is a big difference! We are to accept everybody; we are not to approve of everything everybody does. So no matter what people do or whom they do it with or how they do it or how long they do it, you are to love them. You are to accept them. It does not mean that you approve of what they do. God loves you, but it doesn’t mean he approves of everything you do.
Love is not saying I approve of everything you do. Love is saying I accept you in spite of what you do.
Romans 15:7 says, “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory” (NLT)”
Simply. Honestly. Emily. 