Being honest about politics.

Trust me, this is not what I want to talk about either. If you’ve come to find an outpouring of Scripture on this post, you’re not going to find it. Go and check out something else I’ve written. Hey friend, before I begin let me say it does not matter where you stand politically. Come as you are and hear about my walk with Jesus. I’m a college student covered in flaws but fully forgiven by the abounding love of God. Hey, I’m Kira. Let me cut to the chase; the toxicity of our country deeply wounds my soul. We unfriend people for their difference in political views, we are quick to assume where people stand politically depending on what is or is not posted on social media, we take the bible way out of context as if we know for certain how Jesus would have voted, and we thrive off of defending our political party instead of genuinely listening to the other side. You know this though. This is not anything new. We are so divided.

Now listen, to my friends who are passionate about politics. Praise God, we need people like you to remind us to listen, to care, and to love all of our neighbors even if we vote differently. Praise God for you because we need people that will force us to challenge our beliefs. We need people that will stand up for what’s right. We need you. You are loved. As for me, the level of anxiety I face every time social media blows up over something political is unhealthy. Even with recent events, I remained level-headed while reading the news, but as soon as I went on Instagram, I was instantly filled with stress-created tears.

I tell you this while fully knowing that this is my problem. As I said, praise God for your passion for politics, I pray that you speak wisely and share lovingly without making politics your god, Christians, you especially. I pray as you extend grace to others as you advocate. The passion you have for justice can be beautiful in the right context.

To my friends who are not, I’m raising my hand there with you. For us, I pray that we are at least aware of what is going on. Not having a passion for politics should not be our excuse to reside comfortably in ignorance and privilege. I pray that we act accordingly to our convictions. I pray over wisdom for us as we also vote and take charge. If you’ve been overwhelmed with politics, I get it and I’m right there with you. I am exhausted. I pray that we find rest in God.

Here’s the thing, at one point I was a strong democrat. At another point, I was also a strong republican. Both sides have left me feeling empty, hopeless, and angry. From my humble twenty-one years of experience, you cannot put your hope in something temporary but something eternal and everlasting. Where is your hope?

My involvement in politics has fluctuated throughout the years and the truth is politics is not my forte; Jesus is. I’ve been thinking more critically about what it means to be involved in politics and all I care about is being a Christian and loving people in the way the bible describes it. I know that sounds like I’m just dodging politics completely, but let me explain.

Maybe it’s just me, but I realized upon reflection that no matter what party I identified with, it made me less willing to listen to the other side. If I said I was a republican, suddenly anyone who isn’t is automatically the bad guy and is probably following fake news. If I said I was a democrat, suddenly anyone who isn’t is automatically racist, misogynistic, and loves Trump more than kids love candy. And sure, you do have your Facebook friends and family members that fit that description perfectly, but I realized the more I put a label onto things, the more it became about defending my party rather than listening to my “enemies” or better put, listening to the other viewpoints, perspectives, and news sources.

Even if I read “neutral” news sources, because I already had an agenda, defend Biden or defend Trump at all costs, that hidden motivation would later resurface in my conclusion every single time. I was more worried about defending my party rather than being fair. “Let’s have a conversation” was true, but what I kept hidden was in the fact that I already had my conclusion even if it was unintentional.

I know it’s cheesy but what if I just dropped the affiliation to either party and just went with “Christian”…but not as the off-putting “Jesus is my president” dad-joke type of mode. It’s not about stepping back to lay low and remain uncontroversial, I think being a Christian in Seattle already makes me controversial enough, but it’s about stepping back so I can take a more objective view of these issues. Instead of looking at these political issues as if one side is seeking truth and one side is reading fake news, it may be wiser of me to see these issues in the view of a Christian living in a broken world filled with God’s creations. Not limiting myself to a particular party at least for me is helpful in seeing both the beauty and the flaws within each party, policy, and person.

There is no hiding it, I do tend to lean more conservatively when it comes to the different policies. That’s just me. That is not necessarily my family, my friends, or every Christian you meet. I share that with you while also fully believing that Trump’s character is broken and unsuitable as a president. Now before you assume my stance on every single policy, one thing that I am reminded of is no policy is perfect and benefits all. I seek truth and fairness above most things in life. My foundation is in the bible and my convictions lead me to vote a certain way, but again, that’s just me and my thoughts and opinions. As “just me”, I must also address the flaws within these policies. It is not just about how you vote. You know this.

I believe all human life is sacred, all and every. The easy assumption to make is that I am pro-life and I am, but again for me, that does not mean I simply vote and never think about it again. I see the flaws in those policies. I see suffering mothers, I recognize that there are pregnancies that occur out of crummy situations, I see why it is not easy to tell the wounded mother to just give the baby up for adoption. I see that. For me, yeah more often than not I will vote for policies that recognize the sanctity of life. But also, if I believe all life is sacred I need to step it up when it comes to donating and helping these mothers and families in need. I am called to love God and love people. It is not just about voting. How are you voting, how are you supporting and what are you doing to address the flaws within these policies? No policy is perfect.

There is peace in not looking at things in this black or white, republican or democrat, mindset. This is all very new and definitely a work in progress but I have found it to be eye-opening and I’ve found more freedom to breathe. I have found it easier to be present in these conversations and to hear people out without having an agenda. I have found it more relaxing to talk about the different sides between every policy and every story. I have found peace in knowing how to help and yeah, it is much more than simply posting something on Twitter or educating yourself.

Again, these are simply my open and honest thoughts. After all, I am just an engineering student who reads the Bible so take all that I say with a grain of salt. If anything I said was beautifully crafted, well, give all that glory to God. He gets the credit for it all. Anything unwise, silly. or flat-out ridiculous, that was definitely me. I take full responsibility for that portion. I know anything related to politics is a big turn-off right now so I want to thank you for reading this and your support. It means a lot, truly.

The beautiful thing is that salvation in Jesus is truly by faith alone in Christ alone (take a peek at Romans 10:9!) God does not care where you stand politically. It does not matter how you vote, who you donate to, how much you donate, or how “woke” you are. It is not about being a good person or having all the right answers; it is faith alone in Christ alone. Salvation is a free gift. As I invite you to look at politics objectively and without having an agenda, I ask that you look at truth objectively. Take this as an invitation to seek truth.

From looking at the formation of the universe, the existence of life itself, the complexity and specificity of the bible, the similarities and differences of several other religions, my research has led me to believe in Jesus. Take this as an invitation to consider who the Jesus guy is really about.

Thank you for giving me a chance to speak. Thank you for reading. Thank you for your engagement. I appreciate you all and I invite you to join the journey, regardless of your political views. Come as you are and hear about the honest truth of what it means for me to live a life that honors God. You are loved fully, created intentionally, and made worthy through Christ alone.