Keep Calm and Carry On (A Post-Election Charge to You)

Don't let the important get lost in all the noise.

How should we respond as Christians to the post-election results?

As you’re reading this, the news is trickling in about the results of the midterms. People are going to be fired from all sides of the results of what happened. Either people are happy, sad, mad, or glad.

Do you know what I say to that?

Keep calm and carry on.

The problem with political engagement for most people is that we are fed into an exaggeration of its impact on our lives. We think if this person wins, our lives are going to be significantly different. Yes, it’s true if our lives were truly wrapped up in the results of that.

But here’s a question for us to challenge that:

Does the result of what happens politically truly impact what I’m called to be faithful in?

The answer, most likely, is no. Whoever is on the ballot, whoever is elected, and whoever isn’t elected doesn’t change:

• whether or not we choose to be like Jesus in our lives

• whether or not we love the people right in front of us

• whether we grow and be faithful with the projects and people that God has entrusted

• whether or not we take care of our neighborhoods, schools, our workplaces in Jesus’ name

So this is my charge and encouragement to you. Keep calm and carry on. What happened is important in some sense but not really in the grand scheme of your life.

Do what God called you to do today faithfully. Do what he’s called you to do faithfully this week. Whatever it is that God has put in front of you, do it and do it well. Do it with joy. Do it for Him and his glory.

Contrary to what you read this morning, what happens post-election doesn’t truly impact how faithful we are with our lives.

Don’t get lost in the macro-narrative of the world that tries to say what happened yesterday is so important or not important. Because the more energy we spend on thinking, lamenting, and dreaming of what happens in the macro is just energy taken from being faithful to the things right in front of us.

And at the end of our lives, that’s literally the only thing that matters.

You were made for greatness,
Phil