It’s no secret to any of you that we just experienced a pretty intense midterm election. The gloves came off, the dust went flying, and now the dust is finally settling. Some of the most important political races in the country were run in our own back yard. All American eyes seemed to look toward Arizona as the vote tallies trickled in. With each batch of counted ballots, the final results seemed to come even closer and closer before winners were finally determined. In the end, Arizona elected Mark Kelly to serve as its senator, Katie Hobbs to serve as its governor, and Adrian Fontes to serve as its secretary of state. When the dust finally does settle, there are some people who are pleased with the outcomes, and an almost equal number of people who are upset about the outcomes. When people are divided about such things, I try to remind people on both sides to respect the humanity of the people who stand in opposition.
When people disagree, it can become easy for us to sling mud at each other. But doing so doesn’t honor the dignity of the other person. It doesn’t really accomplish anything. In fact, it probably upsets the other person even more. As a Christian priest and a student of theology, I try to direct people’s attention to the very first book of the Bible. In fact, I try to direct their attention to the very first page of the Bible. Even a guy like me has read that far! And I’m sure you have, too.
In the first creation story of Genesis (yes, there are actually two creation stories in Genesis, but we’ll get to that another time), God creates the heavens and the earth, the sea and the land, the birds and the fish and all the animals. God spends the first five days creating the entire universe and the world around us. Finally, on the fifth day, God creates mankind. In Genesis 1:26, God says, “let us create mankind in our image.” He then says that we have dominion over all the earth. This means that each and every human is created in the image and likeness of a loving God and that humans have a responsibility to serve as caretakers for this part of creation over which God has given us dominion. Every single person on earth has been created in the image of God. Every single person on earth is a beloved child of God. Every single person on earth deserves our love and respect and in our baptismal covenant, we promise to respect the dignity of every single person.
What does that mean for us as election season winds down? It means that some people won elections and others lost them. But neither side ought to sling any mud. People on the winning side and people on the losing side are responsible for recognizing the humanity of their opponents. In theory, the reason they’ve gone into politics in the first place is because they want to make the world a better place. In politics, defeat is not permanent. Richard Nixon lost presidential races before he finally became president. Abraham Lincoln lost races before he finally became president. Joe Biden lost races before he finally became president. Political offices are not forever. If people do win, and they make the world better, then they will probably win again. If they don’t make the world better, then they probably won’t win again. I have to admit, I don’t fully understand all of it. But I respect the dignity of the people involved.
I have many friends with whom I agree politically. I also have many friends with whom I do not agree politically. Guess what? I love people on both sides. I hope to model love for people, even when we disagree. I hope you will model the same. If you were a supporter of those who won elections recently, I ask you to please not “spike the football” in the faces of those who supported the other side. And if you were a supporter of the side that lost elections recently, I ask you to please not despair. To everyone who voted and participated in the recent election, I extend thanks. Our system only works if people participate. Thank you for participating.
May we all remember that passage from Genesis. Let us all remember that each of us has a bit of God’s divinity sprinkled somewhere inside. We use that divinity to work for the better. We use that divinity to love our neighbor. We use that divinity to recognize the divinity in people who do not think the way we think. When it is all said and done, we don’t worship a Democratic God or a Republican God. We worship the God of all. We worship the God who gave us his only Son. His only Son died not for people in red states or blue states or purple states, but for all people. God loves us and he calls us to love one another. Go out and love one another.