This is a political post, but I am not attempting to persuade anyone to vote for the right candidate. I’m calling Christians to remember they belong to each other despite their disparate views on an election.

Regrettably, I did not go to a Guardians playoff game this year, but I did two years ago, and it was awesome. Jacob and I were in the cheap seats as the Guardians took on the Evil NY Yankees. We were surrounded by fellow Guardian fans and a few brave (or foolish) NY fans. For eight innings, it did not look good for Cleveland, but in the bottom of the ninth inning, we pushed three runs across the plate and walked off with a 6-5 victory. The stadium was electric, and I was high-fiving (maybe even hugging, I don’t remember) people I didn’t know. Any win is good. A win over the Yankees is great. A playoff win in walk-off fashion against the Yankees is EPIC!

But here’s the thing, while I have much in common with those long-suffering Guardians fans, I have more, much more, in common with followers of Jesus Christ, even if they are Yankees fans. That’s hard to type…the Yankees are enemy number one!

Ok, that’s a silly way to make a critically important point. Our union with Jesus in his family is vastly more important than anything else that binds us together. I have more in common with a believer from Somalia (or Russia or Korea or China or Syria) whom I have never met and with whom I can’t even communicate because of the language barrier than I do with my non-believing neighbor. I’m bound to my neighbor with a common language, a common history, a common cuisine, a common cultural lexicon, a common school system, etc…and, of course, the Hoosiers. But my adoption into the family of God means I have far more in common with a fellow brother or sister in Christ at the core of my being.

CS Lewis made this point in Mere Christianity: “Six pennies are quite separate and very alike; my nose and my lungs are very different, but they are only alive at all because they are parts of my body and share its common life.” When I go to the poll, my ballot may look more similar to a nonbeliever with the same political views. That’s pennies. My ballot may look different from my brother or sister in Christ, who views political issues differently, but we’re still vitally connected as part of the same body.

My membership in the body of Christ is more truly unifying than shared politics (or shared culture, heritage, etc.). It’s more important than my differences with fellow Christ followers, sons and daughters of my Heavenly Father.

We need to preach this gospel truth to ourselves often, especially in contentious times. (Does contentious even begin to describe where we are? Factious? Fiery? Perilous?)

Our common bond with other believers is indestructible. Or can we be severed from Christ or cut off from the Spirit? It is vital, as Christ’s life flows through us all as his body. It is eternal, for the bonds we share are not of this world but belong to the world to come. And it is precious, for it was purchased with the blood of Christ.

This will be a hard truth to remember in the following weeks as we go to the polls, watch the election results, and await the fallout (from whatever the result). There will be anger and fear no matter who wins. But do not let this obscure our Christian fellowship. Do not let this stain the name of Christ by causing division. Do not let this turn your love for Christ’s family into hatred. Lord have mercy!

I see a lot of rhetoric that is clearly wide of this mark. I see it on the right and the left, and I may have been guilty of it, if not with my lips, in my heart. “No Christian possibly vote for leftist Kamala?” OR “No Christian who’s read the Bible can support Trump.” There’s been a lot of questioning the validity of the Christian faith in those who support the other candidate. There will, sadly, be more of this in the days to come. But please, stop.

We should acknowledge there are Christian-in-name-only Democrats and Christian-in-name-only Republicans. Christ knows his sheep. We don’t…and certainly not based on a political position.

Walking in lockstep with either party is problematic for a Christian. I’d say impossible. Christ calls out a different cadence than any world system, including your party’s platform. The Kingdom values of Jesus are not perfectly reflected in any party, not now, not ever. So, believers are forced to make difficult decisions. Believers will weigh the issues – policy, character, plans, history – and come to different conclusions. Some will give greater weight to issue X, while others view issue Y as paramount. Some will contend that voting for ___________ is the right thing, or the loving thing, or the less disturbing thing. Some will hold their nose and pull a lever. Others go gleefully, thinking they’ve found a great candidate. The calculus will be different.

None of that changes the fact that we are bound together and called to love one another. You and I, our yard signs may not be the same, but if we are members of Christ, our deepest desires, most fervent affections, and ultimate loyalties are aligned.