Four years ago, I was deeply distressed by the vitriol and venom on social media. Not from the “talking heads” I followed and did not know in real life but rather, it was those I had a personal relationship with left me with great sadness and confusion. Many were people of “faith” with whom I had worshiped with at one point or another in my life and yet, the tone and conviction of their posts made me question if I ever really knew them and if our “relationship” was ever true. I found myself quieting many of them on my timeline but the damage had already been done and I have spent the better part of the last four years walking through forgiveness and healing.

The greater truth is we all need a forgiveness and healing. We all need a Savior. It is a plain and simple fact – a presidential candidate will never be it. When Christ followers get caught up in the election cycles and the candidates, I wonder who holds the heart more. Especially when a candidate is set up to be the “deliverer” from all the evils of this world or at least what we deem most pressing. No person who walks the earth can deliver us from even one.

Indulge me here … in Matthew 22 the Pharisees were trying to entrap Jesus and questioned him about paying taxes to the emperor or not. Jesus knew the malice in their heart and asked for a coin. This coin had the head of Caesar on it. He then asked, “who is this” and they replied, “Caesar.” To which he replied, “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s.” This speaks to me greatly. A ballot to be cast in November does not belong to God’s Kingdom. It is our proverbial coin of Caesar’s. Therefore, do your due diligence and vote but do not let it impede your witness as a Christ follower.

If our intensity for a candidate far outweighs our love for the one who will vote differently. Be careful.

I recently saw a post that questioned the veracity of another’s relationship with God based upon their political stance (which was oppositional to the writer) and it saddened me. A differing vote does not make an adversary in God’s Kingdom as much as it does in man’s world. However, if an adversarial stance impedes your ability to love another, something is wrong. Very wrong. Love requires many things such as grace, mercy, kindness, goodness, honesty and the willingness to believe the good of another just to name a few. When we lose the ability to exhibit this we have lost the ability to love. When we have lost the ability to love whose kingdom are we serving?

Four years ago, I had to quiet many on my timeline. Today that is no longer necessary. Four years of walking through forgiveness and healing have brought me to a place where instead of “silencing” the posts of political sarcasm and criticism to protect my own heart – I pray for the heart of one who posted.

I’d rather bring them to Jesus than forfeit them to Caesar.