An Unafraid Kingdom

I have a confession. I used to hate the people who disagreed with me
politically. It’s understandable to feel strongly about how we practice
politics. Voting and activism have the potential to bring about much good
in our communities. Politics can also be incredibly scary because we’re
often dealing with life-and-death issues that affect us and our neighbors.

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Here’s the good news: Jesus understands what it’s like to be in the middle
of scary political situations. His homeland was occupied by the Roman
Empire, and injustice was rampant.

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But Jesus didn’t respond in violence toward those who threatened Him. In
the same way, Jesus calls His followers to love our enemies—to pray for
them and to respond to hatred with love and care for the needs of others,
even our enemies (Matthew 5:38-47).

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When we join Jesus’s kingdom, we no longer put our trust in chariots or
swords, weapons or symbols of power (Psalm 20:7; Matthew 26:52). Instead,
our trust is in the living God, our Risen Savior Jesus Christ. He’s the One
who beat sin and death through His own death and resurrection, and He’s the
One who will return to make all things new—with every wrongdoing and
injustice finally taken care of (Revelation 20:11”“21:5).

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Today, when I’m tempted to hate people I disagree with, I remember Jesus on
the night He let people take Him away to kill Him. When His enemies
surrounded Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, He did not allow His disciples
to lead a violent counterattack. Instead, Jesus stopped, healed one of His
enemies, and moved forward in peace and truth, making the way for
restoration through His very death and eventual resurrection (Luke
22:49-52).

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As Christians, we don’t have to be afraid of changing political systems.
Instead, we can remember we belong to an eternal and unafraid kingdom
through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His kingdom is built
upon love of God and neighbor, so no matter who is in power, we can
continue to share the good news of God’s love through our words and actions
(Matthew 22:37-40). In Christ, we are free to love our neighbors—and even
our enemies—as we follow our unchanging and healing Savior. • Aurora Scriver

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• Have you ever been tempted to hate your political enemies? Consider
taking some time to bring those thoughts and feelings to God. Your cares
are never too big for Him, and He can help you process even your angriest
thoughts in a way that is safe for yourself and others (1 Peter 5:7).

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• The psalms are filled with peoples’ prayers against their enemies,
allowing them to process their hurts and trust that God is at work to bring
about justice. Try praying Psalm 69 about your political enemies. What do
you notice about the psalmist’s hope?

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• Amazingly, God is just as patient with us as He is with our enemies.
According to 2 Peter 3:8-10 and John 3:16-17, why is God patient with us?
What are some practical ways you can love your political enemies? (Matthew
5:38-47)

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Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of
the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Matthew 26:36-Matthew 26:55; Luke 22:49-Luke 22:52; Psalm 20:7; Matthew 5:38-Matthew 5:47