Words Matter

​It's a fragile time of the year for human conversations. It's election season, and when it comes to human conversations, few lack emotional neutrality as much as political conversations lack it.

I rarely talk about politics. Mainly because I always want my identity to be tied first and foremost to being an ambassador for Jesus. And it's been my experience that who one votes for doesn't damage that identity nearly as much as the way one talks about that vote. Nearly as much as the way one talks to and at and over someone else about that vote.

I know others are prone to screen out the Christians and non-Christians by their votes, but Jesus didn't. If I'm wrong about that, I don't care to be a Jesus follower. If I'm wrong about my belief that there will be more than one political party represented in heaven, than I don't care to go there.

I say all that with greatest of confidence that I'm not wrong. Because the bible paints Jesus in the color of love far more than it paints him as red or blue.

And when it comes to love, the bible reminds us repeatedly that the way we talk to one another is a powerful reflection of the way we love. Our words carry great weight. Words that in many cases will linger and influence others well past the box we check on November 5.

For me personally, it's much easier to forget that someone voted against me than it is to forget the attacking and disparaging words one used to express their vote to me. The bible seems to acknowledge that.

Jesus once said, "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

These words from Jesus suggest that our words are not trivial in God's sight. They encourage his followers to speak with integrity and love, owning that God values the impact of our words on others.

I suppose one could wonder what God will ask about first at the gates of heaven. How did you vote, or how did you speak to those who didn't vote like you?

To me, God seems much more interested in me lifting everyone up with my words than in me attacking someone else's choice in an election.

I can imagine that God could disagree with my vote this November. I cannot imagine that God would ever talk down to or insult or disparage or disown me over my vote. And since my identity is settled far more firmly in a desire to talk to others like God would talk to me than it is to look or act like any political party, I will do my best to follow God's lead on this.

Words matter. Long before and long after an election.

Words matter.