“Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, and Grace my fears relieved”
These familiar, and nearly contradictory, lines sum up everything you need to remember about being a Christian at the end of this election season.
Fear has been a big part of this campaign–grace, not so much. Everyone has worked hard to promote fear, until more people are voting against their fears rather than for their chosen candidate. “If ________________ (insert name of opposing candidate) wins, our country will be destroyed!” The scenarios are compelling, rational, and realistic; it just depends on your starting place as to whether Clinton or Trump is the apocalyptic candidate.
It’s too late to change this. If I try to persuade you to vote for my candidate, we will only get lost arguing over reliable sources and unforgivable sins. I’m not going go to change your vote, instead I want to prepare you for what comes afterwards. One of these candidates will win. Then we will have another choice. We can continue on this divisive path of suspicion and insults, simplistic judgments and limited options, or we can remember who we are, putting fear in its proper place.
An invitation to fear
The words, “fear not,” appear around 300 times in the Bible, but that’s not all we will read about fear. Jesus actually encourages his disciples to fear: “the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell, fear him!” (Mt 10:28) In the Old Testament we read that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7ff). We’re talking about holy fear or awe, but no need to get all theological about this. Here’s another way to put this: get your priorities straight!
In this election season, we’ve been so concerned with winning, we’ve gotten off track. My side, those others–what matters is that we belong to God, so let’s act like it. The standards of compassion, integrity and humility set by Jesus aren’t optional. His lifestyle of sacrifice and service isn’t a hobby for us to take up when life is easy and smooth. Seeing Christ in the stranger, welcoming the outsider, loving the neighbor–these commandments don’t go away just because we live in changing times. Why are we so not afraid of messing that up?
Grace, anyone?
Again, fear might not be the word we want to use. OK. Grace, then. In Christ, we are invited to be citizens of a different reality, not because it’s easier or comes naturally, but because it is better. We have been baptized into new life, and that means living by the standards and power of grace. So how about facing the future with this new identify foremost?
No matter who wins, we will still be Jesus’ followers. Or not. Depends on our priorities. That’s the choice that should keep us up at nights.
Let’s be afraid of being left out of the glorious work of the Kingdom. Be afraid of all that separates us from God’s ways. Fear forgetting our true identity in Christ. Put fear in the right place.
That’s the fear relieved by grace and the reassurance of Christ’s love. Win or lose, we can’t lose Christ. Everything else comes second. Let’s not be afraid to get that right.