Politics for People Who Hate PoliticsSample

Pursuing unity sounds fine and dandy until you try putting it into practice. As with love, unity is easier said than done because dealing with people is always a challenge. Uniting with those we agree with comes naturally, but uniting with those we have less in common with is hard. But we can ask God to instill in us the desire to unify. Praying for God’s help to love what He loves and hate what He hates helps me separate people from their actions and aligns my desire with God’s.

Disciplining our thoughts is another way we can practice unity. Rather than let negative, hateful thoughts of others take up any of our mental real estate, we should condition our minds to view people the way God does: as precious and beloved. We must take whatever others have said or done to offend us to the Lord and ask Him to deal with our hearts. Our only job is to love them and find that which God values in them—not to avenge their offenses.

Praying for our enemies is another way to love them well. As Reverend Billy Graham said, “You cannot pray for someone and hate them at the same time. Even if you are asking God to restrain their evil actions, you should also be praying that He will change their hearts.”

Make unity a priority. When it comes to pursuing unity, practicing it in our daily lives is essential to seeing it come to pass.

Reflection: What responsibilities can you assume to help unify our nation?