I’ve been in and around politics for the last 15 years, starting out working for the Texas State Senate right out of law school, then working for a number of policy organizations before coming to World Relief. In fact, it was my work with the Texas Baptist Convention that led me to go to seminary and now pursue a PhD to really learn and think deeply about what faithful Christian political activism looks like.
So this topic is very close to my heart, and I understand that because of my education and background, I may be uniquely qualified to offer words of encouragement to fellow believers and church leaders who are exhausted by this election season.
The current political discourse can feel exhausting. Daily conversations with friends and family can unexpectedly turn into political debates, and when we watch TV, we are bombarded with candidate ads and political news. We feel overwhelmed and it is difficult to navigate the discourse and politics. We don’t want to hurt anyone, but we do want to speak the truth with love.
After 15 years in politics, I want to share some of my best tips to keep in mind as you make it through this election season.
1. People are more than their votes.
Political debates can be frustrating, but before I react with frustration or anger, I try to remember that the person I’m speaking to was created in God’s image. They are more than a partisan voting choice, and I hope they see me as more than that.
One of my favorite thinkers, Bryan Stevenson, in his work for justice and civil rights for incarcerated people, has this to say: “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” If someone chooses to vote differently than we do or see an issue differently than we do, that’s not the worst thing. But even if the stakes in this election are prohibitively high and voting for or not voting for a particular candidate feels like the worst thing our friends and family could do, Stevenson reminds us that we are more than the mistakes we make. In this case, we are more than our political choices. Kind, intelligent, generous people can look at the same issues and come to different conclusions about the best policy solutions and candidates.
While the Bible clearly commands us to have responsibility toward the poor, persecuted, and vulnerable, there is not always clear guidance on what that responsibility means in terms of political activity. Moreover, our voting habits are one way we show our love and care for our neighbors. Most of us vote in federal elections, but we are less likely to vote in state and local elections. Despite its importance, voting takes up only a small percentage of our lives as believers. How do we treat our neighbors and vulnerable people in our daily lives? How we act and speak toward and about those with whom we have political differences reflects our commitment to Christ.
When I find myself getting annoyed because someone doesn’t agree with my political beliefs, I find it easier to turn my heart away from anger when I remember the real things that unite us: our love for Jesus and our love for our neighbors.
2. Discourse and politics are public goods.
There’s an old saying in the South that says you should avoid talking about complex topics like politics and religion. But as Christians, we have a responsibility to share our faith and how it affects every aspect of our lives, including how we vote. As citizens of a democracy where politics affect nearly every aspect of our lives, from the roads we drive on to whether our neighbors work and have clean air, talking about policy with others helps us to be better informed about the world around us.
Political debate is a public good. First, many things considered political concern real issues facing our neighbors. In Luke 4, Jesus declares that the Spirit of the Lord has anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed. For Israel, suffering under Roman oppression and waiting for a Messiah, this was both a spiritual and a political mission. Jesus’ public declaration in the synagogue that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy suddenly inserted the truth of the gospel into the political debate of the day.
It is not taboo to engage in conversations about politics and public policy. That being said, political discussions require the same judgments about place, time, and capacity as any other difficult conversation. So, although a public good, they may not be best discussed on social media, by text, or at Thanksgiving dinner. To have a good, rewarding conversation, you need to make sure that you and your interlocutor are in the best place to understand each other. Social media is great for soundbites, but not for detailed, nuanced conversations. When I get a policy-related question on social media, I usually try to move the conversation to another medium: email, text, or even better, a phone call.
While it is important to have good conversation spaces, it is inevitable that disagreements will arise when discussing these issues. Fear of backlash is no reason to avoid challenging conversations about policy and political issues. Avoiding challenging debates can lead to a false peace lacking true justice and kindness. Learning how to talk politics in harsh terms is a skill, but it is a skill we must further develop for the sake of our neighbors.
3. Humility is key.
Healthy political debate should not be shy away from. It is a way to test ideas and learn new information. Practicing civil political debate can help us be better citizens and better neighbors. But civil political debate requires humility. We must recognize that we still have much to learn about the world, our neighbors, and ourselves, and we must be willing to listen as much as we talk.
Humility allows us to see our interlocutors as valued members of a community created in God’s image. Humility allows us to treat their concerns as valid. Humility allows us to make room to listen and truly understand, rather than intimidating or humiliating them into submission with a boxed-in list of facts. Humility allows us to submit to the Holy Spirit and recognize our place in a larger narrative in which we are not ultimately responsible for the outcome of the dialogue. We are responsible to faithfully represent Christ through our love for our neighbor and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
4. Pray for your conversation and the people you speak to.
Christians who try to engage in political debates often ignore the role of prayer. Given the urgency of an election, talking to God may feel misguided, but I would argue that this urgency is what requires an active prayer life. We should pray as much, if not more, than we do to talk to our neighbors about elected officials and the policy issues they face. We should pray for soft hearts and listening ears to hear the desperate cries of the vulnerable. We should pray to be guided by the Holy Spirit, not by selfish desires or partisan talking points. We should pray that our leaders would seek justice and love kindness. We should pray to have hope and to continue to have joy in the midst of suffering amid economic, cultural, and political turmoil. We should pray for wisdom and discernment in our conversations to help us choose the right course of action. An active prayer life is a key component of healthy debate and politics for Christians. We need to let the Holy Spirit guide our words for ourselves and for those we encounter.
Whenever I have a conversation about a complex topic, including politics or public policy, I try to remember the gift of the Holy Spirit and allow His work to be evident even when we disagree.
Read and Memorize Galatians 5:22-26
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. For those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk according to the Spirit. Let us not be proud, provoking one another, envious of one another.”
To stay up to date on our advocacy efforts and hear more from our advocacy team, sign up for our advocacy newsletter.
Katherine Freeman is a National Advocacy and Operations Specialist for World Relief and is currently pursuing a PhD in Political Theology at Baylor University. She holds a degree in English with a minor in Political Science from Texas A&M University, a Master of Divinity from Baylor University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas Law School. In her spare time, Katherine writes about the intersection of faith, race, and pop culture. Her work has appeared in Christianity Today, Christ and Pop Culture, and Think Christian. Katherine loves books, Tex-Mex, and iced coffee. She is passionate about Jesus, justice, and Beyoncé.
