Sitting with a Democrat

Recently I worked the primary election in Nebraska.  The election commission office assigned me to a precinct for the day.  I was trained on several jobs, but when you get to the polling site, things are sort of just divvied up. 

Judge 2 sounds very official.  It was 'official-ly' in terms of making sure ballots were slid down into the ballot box by me alone,  and that everyone received a sticker on their way out.  When you are Judge 2, you sit next to Judge 1.  It is mandatory that you sit by someone of the opposite party, and also mandatory that you do not converse about the election or politics in general.  *laughable this election season* 

Like birds on an electric wire.

Judge 1 and I, side by side for a long shift of 11 hours. We talked about her cat, and my boys. We laughed at her witty sense of humor, and my sarcastic comebacks.  Funny things happening throughout the day instantly created some inside jokes between us. Across the L-shaped table from us were another set of opposite party poll workers.  We all worked together and created an organized and pleasant environment. We stayed "off-topic" - but it really was a non-topic to us. We genuinely enjoyed each others company and camaraderie.  We were together under one mission, and there were principles guiding us to remember honor and respect.

What would happen if we just love people....because we do?   Just because we do.  

Because I do.

So freeing.

My politics are of course directed and fueled by the influences of my life. As I challenge and embrace my family of origin, contemplate my own life experiences, and -as a Christian-press into the heart of Jesus and look to the truth of the Bible, my views should be impacted. Right? It is ok to share these views, and to be bold in my conviction. And I do share and I am bold at times. My goal is to do so by not berating another person. Someone else may have a similar process, but draw varied conclusions. As much as I may not understand how someone could draw such a conclusion, I respect the honest, intentional and hard pursuit of truth seeking.

Some of my best friends and favorite people in the world side with a different political party than I do. I suppose the title of this blog gives me away a bit...but not fully.

I'll be real, I do get super annoyed when people just seem to follow social trends or lack substance in their understanding of issues. I might even get a little testy.  We may even have a "conversation".:) There are significant consequences to society by these opinions when potential voters and members of society blindly follow what "sounds good".  John F. Kennedy said it well when he said, "Too often... we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." 

Nevertheless...

I will love. I will make YOU the higher priority over my opinion. YOU were bought with a price. YOU have inherent value placed on your life. Whether YOU know this or not, YOUR destiny is as a son and a daughter of God and an heir to His kingdom. YOU are loved.

I will defend what I think, but more importantly I will defend love.

When we love people well, without the agenda of change, we inadveratently influence them.

Kris Vallotton said, "Unfortunately our culture has grown up in denominationalism.  Therefore, if you don't agree with someone you divide."  He also said, "You can always tell the size of a man by the size of the problem it takes to undo him". This idea that it's too hard to do life together while having differences. Sad.

Now, there is this thing about finding your tribe...and I totally agree.  The people with whom we intimately "do life" should have a similar mission and vision.  But I prefer to think that the entrances of those dwellings are open and always welcoming.

I'm looking forward to seeing my opposite party friend, Judge 1 in November for the presidential election. We will have so much fun together.  No doubt!