I wrote this article in 2016; still true…

So many in our nation today feel disenfranchised.

So many are like orphans searching for a family, a place to belong. And in this particular season, so many have found their sense of belonging and even identity in a political party or persona.

But those of us who have said yes to God, we joined a family. Orphans no longer, we found our belonging in Christ. We are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers, and sisters, one family.

Before Jesus ascended to heaven He said, “I pray that you are one…(John 17:21)” It was His last will and testament that we would discover what it is to be family, what it is to choose love above all else.

We are not disenfranchised, we are becoming one.

In this highly charged political season of us and them, we must not find our belonging or identity in a political party or persona. Otherwise, we become lost.

We don’t belong to a political party, we belong to the family of God. Belonging is the gift our Father has given us through Jesus. This truth sets us free to vote our conscience; it also empowers us to let others vote theirs. And we don’t have to agree because it’s way better than that, we are family.

We are never meant to get our sense of belonging or identity from a political party and here are seven reasons why…

1 – A political party says, “You belong because you agree with me.”
The family of God says, “You belong because we are family, we share the same Father.”

2 – A political party says, “I will bully, shame, or manipulate you into voting the party line.”
The family of God says, “You are free to vote your conscience.”

3 – A political party says, “I will pressure you to minimize your party’s sin as the lesser of two evils for the greater good.”
The family of God says, “I will encourage you to confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

4 – A political party says, “I will pressure you to justify or defend unrighteousness and ignorance.” 
The family of God says, “I will challenge you to stand for righteousness by speaking the truth in love….” (Eph 4:15)

5 – A political party says, “Regarding how we communicate with one another, the ends justifies the means” 
The family of God says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Eph 4:2)

6 – A political party says, “I will leverage tragedy to manipulate voters.”
      The family of God says, “I will weep with those who weep.” (Rom 12:15)

7 – A political party says, “God has one perspective; mine.”
      The family of God says, “God has one perspective; love.” (1 John 4:8)

I don’t belong to a political party; I belong to a family, so do you. 

Jason Clark is a writer, speaker and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

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