Part 2 — Your Vote May Not Matter. But One Thing Does.

I have really good friends and family who are voting for Trump, and who believe that a true Christian would not, or could not, vote for anyone on the democratic ticket. After all, they say, democrats are the ones who believe in abortion after birth. I also have really good friends and family who believe a vote for Trump means you love war, hate the poor, despise immigrants, support insurrection, and think climate change is a lie.

Every day on the news channels, we are told that the world is about to end if fill-in-the-blank gets elected as our next president. We are told the "other" party hates America. We are told what to think, how to think, what so-and-so meant when they said certain triggering words. We are told what to watch out for among our neighbors and communities and churches. We are taught that anyone who doesn't agree with us should not be trusted and is a socialist or a right-wing nut job. 

We are being discipled by our televisions and podcasts and news feeds to be skeptical and cynical and suspicious. We are seeing modeled every day how to fight and criticize and call names and disparage the reputation of the person who doesn't agree with us. 

This. Is not the way of Jesus. 

Don't get me wrong...Jesus used some harsh language at times. He occasionally got angry at people. But in every single case, his anger was toward those in his own camp—usually the religious leaders. His anger was because of how the “us’s” were mistreating the “thems.”

So, how did Jesus treat the “thems”? How did he act toward those were not in his tribe?

Let’s consider Zaccheaus. He was an outcast. He was both extremely well-known and extremely disliked. He was the guy who took money away from the poor and gave it to those who had plenty. He took money from his own kind, the Jews, and gave it to the occupying Romans. And for that service, he was rewarded well. He charged extra to pad his own pockets, and as such was very wealthy. His wealth didn’t come from working hard—but because he had unjustly taken money from others.

Zaccheaus made his living by exploiting the helplessness of others. He cared only about himself. He was protected by the Romans, so the Jews couldn’t hurt him personally. They could only hurt him relationally and socially by ostracizing him.

None of us love paying taxes, but I don’t think we look down on IRS employees like people in Jesus day would look down on the tax collectors. Perhaps a better modern-day analogy is how most Americans view white supremacists. Most of us have little tolerance for people who treat others poorly because of the color of their skin or their ethnic heritage. Zaccheaus was similarly considered the scum of the earth.

So how does Jesus act toward Zaccheaus? Does he mistreat him? Does he publicly humiliate him? Does he treat him with disdain or disgust? Does he write an open letter to the editor condemning his actions? Does he go on a tirade on Instagram or X citing Zaccheaus as an example of what is wrong with the world?

He does none of that. In fact, he does something quite unexpected.

Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.

 

When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, “What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?” (Luke 19:1-7)

This was not Jesus’ best moment. This was not the way to build credibility with his followers.

He publicly and loudly agrees to go to the house of one of the most-hated men in the community. This is the guy that pretty much everyone thinks is the worst man on the planet. Not only does Zaccheaus take advantage of the poor—he does it for the enemy.

He could have easily built a stronger bond with his followers by condemning this man. His followers would have cheered him on if he had stopped to hurl accusations toward the greedy man in the tree. Instead, at great risk to his own reputation, his first move is to offer to spend time with him.

And isn’t it interesting—he doesn’t invite Zacchaeus over for coffee. He doesn’t expect Zacchaeus to take the first step and come into his world—instead, Jesus makes the first move. He says, “Let me come into your world.”

This was so unexpected. It was counter-culture. It actually may have been one of Jesus’ best moments. It’s the type of move that no one expects, and so everyone notices.

It’s as though he was saying, “I know who you are. I know what you’ve done. I want to talk to you. I want to understand you.”

He moved into Zaccheaus’ world. And by doing so, he was saying, “Your baggage, the way you’ve mistreated others—it doesn’t make you a lost cause. In fact, it makes you the most likely candidate for my love and grace.”

And isn’t that what we all want to hear? 

It’s what we want to hear from Jesus. But also from the people around us. It is what others want to hear from us. It is by extending a hand, seeking to understand, treating the unlovely with love and favor—that is when we make inroads into someone else’s life.

And yet our discourse during an election season is highly charged. We are losing impact and reputation and our own integrity because of the way we are treating people with whom we disagree.

In his book Not In It To Win It: Why Choosing Sides Sidelines the Church, Andy Stanley says,

"Our nation’s challenges do not stem from the church’s inability to convince unbelievers to behave like believers. Our challenges stem from the church’s inability to inspire believers to behave like believers.”

It's our fault. 

Over the next 70 days until the election (and for the weeks or months after that when the insanity continues), let's remember that empathy and kindness can bridge even the widest of divides. By choosing to engage with respect and understanding, we not only elevate the discourse but also strengthen the very fabric of our community. Let's commit to treating one another with the dignity and honor every individual deserves.

Let's get super practical. What specifically can you do over the next two months?

  • Turn off the news channels. Get out of your echo chamber. I used to be a cable news junkie. I know how it crushes your soul without you knowing. It makes you cynical and negative and hopeless. You think it is intellectually stimulating but it is actually making you dumb. They aren't helping you understand the issues--they are telling you how to think and how not to think. It is 5% news and 95% commentary. 

  • Be gracious online with your thoughts about political issues. Real meaning and motive and heart can't be discerned online, and no one has ever changed anyone's mind through a post or comment. In his book, Andy Stanley says, "The moment we step into a ring that requires someone to lose in order for us to win, we are no longer followers of Jesus.” You can't win online. Don't even try.

  • Don't put an election sign in your yard. Don't get a bumper sticker. Don't post your party or candidate endorsement on social media. As soon as you do, you isolate yourself from 50% of the world. It's fine to have strong convictions and beliefs and to vote your conscience, but in our polarized culture of 2024, there is nothing to be gained for followers of Jesus to turn off half the population who automatically dismisses you because of your political viewpoints. 

  • Meet some people who have the opposite view as you and ask real honest questions. Don't try to debate them. Just listen. See the world through their eyes. Don't just ask what they believe, ask enough questions to find out how they arrived at that belief.

Guys. I get it. There is a lot of stuff happening in our world. And you have opinions. I'm just encouraging you to bump up your love quotient, and dial back your tone and harsh responses. 

When Jesus publicly invited himself over to Zaccheaus’ house for dinner, he was ignoring all the cultural do-not-cross lines of his time. He was showing the world that the only way to move beyond our biases and judgmental hearts is to enter the world of someone else, seek to understand life through their eyes, and extend a hand of love. Don’t wait for them to come your direction. Love compels you to enter their world.

I'm encouraging you to follow the example of Jesus'. You can’t change the world. Not by yourself. But you can change your world. We can each make a difference within our circle of influence. 

Do you want to make a difference even if you know your vote at the ballot box won't? 

Love in a way that no one expects, and so everyone notices. 

Tim Stevens