If We Knew…..

If you knew how I voted, would you still like me?

If you knew my past, would you still talk to me?

If you knew the shows I watched or the music I listened too, would you still respect me?

If you knew I watched church online, or didn’t attend at all, would you think less of me?

If you knew my doubts, fears, struggles and insecurities, would you question my faith?

If you knew……would you judge me?

If I knew…….would I judge you?

I hope we wouldn’t judge each other. I would like to think none of it matters. I would hope we can just love one another as we are called too. To love our neighbor as we love ourselves. To not get hung up on someone’s past mistakes, or how they voted in the past election. But it isn’t always that easy — is it?

Our own thoughts, opinions and convictions stand in the way, especially in this day and age when we are fed information based on the things we’ve liked or shared, and the comments we’ve made.

Instead of seeing each other as neighbors, friends, coworkers, family – we begin to place one another in categories. Republican. Democrat. Conservative. Liberal. Pro-vaccine. Anti-vaccine. Masker. Anti-masker.

When we find out someone voted differently than us, do we stop listening? Do I stop listening?

These are questions I’ve had to ask myself lately, because as much as I don’t want to be judged – I also shouldn’t be judging others.

Our baseline should always be love. Regardless of someone’s past mistakes or current struggles. Regardless of political parties or where they attend church, if they do at all.

Regardless.

We should always strive to love. All people.

The ones who are like us.

And the ones who are nothing like us.

Can you imagine what people would say? It would be so counter-intuitive to all we see and hear now. It would be supernatural.

And they would know we are Christians by our love.