Almost Over

Barring any controversy over vote counts or other unforeseen circumstances, the election season will finally arrive at its conclusion on Tuesday. I don't know of a single person who will be anything other than relieved to see it end. I must agree with the phrase I hear with great frequency, "I'm sick of politics."
 
But what does that say about our country if the election process makes us feel awful? The U.S. is the self-proclaimed greatest nation on earth, but what's so great about the way we treat each other during presidential campaigns? What's so great about supporters of a particular candidate who are willing to spread false information about other candidates? What is it doing to the heart and soul of our country?
 
I have acquaintances who regularly spread lies about candidates, and others I know who send wrong information through emails or post false items on Facebook. Knowing that any of us can be careless and repeat something which is not true, several times I have gone to the trouble to find the evidence which shows the information to be false and then I passed it along to the offender. I have been astounded when the response has rarely been to issue a retraction, and most often has been, "I don't care." The excuses have ranged from, "It still makes a good point" to "I just thought it was funny." And yet, many of these same people claim we are a Christian nation. It has been my observation that most of the election process isn't funny or Christ-like, and for fans of the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not bear false witness" is not merely a suggestion.
 
We can all rise above the fray. It is possible to participate in the political process without lowering our standards, without being disrespectful and unloving. We can choose to be part of the solution to reuniting as citizens, as neighbors, not divided along partisan lines. As in all things, apply the biblical Golden Rule of treating others as you wish to be treated. Check your facts, don't gossip or repeat falsehoods. And when it's all over, and we have elected a president, no matter who it is, it is up to Christians across the nation to show compassion and forgiveness and to display a willingness to leave the rancor behind and never pick it up again.
 
I'm still proud to be an American, but I would rather we all behave in a way which would make Jesus proud of us.