Republican, Democrat, or Independent? Who’s on the Lord’s Side?

America is making history at this precious moment in time. We will have our first black president or we will have our first woman vice president; either way, a new path will be paved for me and others like me. I am a Christian first, a former soldier, a wife, a mother, and as you may have surmised a woman. I am also a proud African American. I write this message because I believe no one party has a monopoly on Christian values. The republican’s say they stand for family values (pro-life and pro-marriage), the democrats have been tagged as America’s liberals: pro-abortion, and for gay marriages.

If you sat down with me I would tell you I am pro-life, I am against same sex marriages, I am for stricter gun control, and I am for better schools in our inner cities and in rural undeveloped areas within our wonderful nation. I would tell you I am for finding alternative solutions to gas consumption, and for bringing our troops home from Iraq. I would also tell you that I am for preserving our natural resources, because God has entrusted us with land that is rich in raw materials and mineral deposits, and we should be good stewards over what God has bestowed upon us. In addition, I care that an inordinate amount of people are poor and do not have health care in one of the richest nations in the world. Yet still, I would not want to be a citizen of any other nation; that is why I believe my message is important.

In Joshua 5:13-14 of the Bible, “When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man was holding a sword. He was ready for battle. Joshua went up to him. He asked, ‘Are you on our side? Or are you on the side of our enemies?’ ‘I am not on either side,’ he replied. ‘I have come as the commander of the Lord's army.’ Then Joshua fell with his face to the ground. He asked the man, ‘What message does my Lord have for me?’

God wasn’t calling Joshua to be a republican, an independent, or a democrat. God was calling Joshua to seek His heart. It is man that looks on the outside and may I add takes sides, but it’s God that looks on the inside.

Barak Obama has professed Christ as his Lord and Savior, but some argue that his platform “is against Christ.” I too have had my Christian status questioned by Christian conservative friends, because they feel I am on the wrong side. The truth is I have heard some of the rhetoric, slander, and divisiveness that have come from the Republican Party—a party that most right-wing Christian conservatives happily support—and most of it has made me shutter.

I have seen on TV pro-lifers spitting at and calling women opting to get an abortion (because of rape, incest or some other reason) “killers”. I cried and prayed when President Clinton got caught up in the Monica Lewinsky scandal, (I admit) not necessary because of what he was going through, but because conservative Christian radio shows (and their faithful callers) were ripping him to shreds—the hearts and minds of Christian American’s had become so callous and unforgiving. Yes, Clinton was wrong, but so were we, as Christians, if we were not praying that this situation would lead him to Christ.

Just recently I shuttered again as I listened to the attacks levied by Gov Palin, against a man that was gracious enough to tell the media on her behalf that family attacks were off limits—when her daughter’s pregnancy became public knowledge. As she spoke at the convention and since then, I know there were so called Christian conservatives in the audience who were roaring and embracing the attacks with cheers. It’s easy to spot sin of commission (tangible sin like adultery, killing, lying), but difficult to spot sin of omission (intangible sin like un-forgiveness, bitterness, hatred, jealously, divisiveness), but in God’s eyes, sin is still sin.

Whoever you are supporting, it’s important to remember that we need Christians on both sides—Christians who strongly believe in the godly values that their candidate possesses. That is one of the only ways you will get fervent prayer for a leaders, because people will passionately pray for what they want and believe in (not necessarily what is best for them). In addition, we have to remember that we are to be on the Lord’s side, modeling Christ-like behavior in all that we do and say; because whether we realize it or not we are being watched. The question becomes, will we repel people by our words and deeds or will we be Christ example here on earth?