Welcome to 10 minute Bible Talks.

Where we connect the Bible to your life.

In the time it takes to get to work.

I'm Patrick Miller.

As I'm recording this episode, the United States is in yet another presidential election year. Unfortunately, this means another season of divisions and broken relationships and that's largely

because our political pundits and politicians want us to believe that this election is an

apocalyptic election. They tell us it's the most important election in history, it's an existential election,

and the life of a nation hangs in the balance.

This isn't unique to the United States.

There's a good chance that no matter where you live,

if you live in a democratic nation, your politicians do the same thing in their own elections.

But that means this is also the time for followers of Jesus to step back from the political fray.

Not because we are apolitical, nor because we don't care about politics.

The political process is part of how we love our neighbors.

It's part of how we care for the week and take a stand for justice

and the just implementation of just laws.

The reason we need to step aside is to make sure that our political priorities are straight and we're seeing the world straightly with clear eyes.

Let me use a metaphor. Imagine a chessboard. When you enter a political season you are entering a room with a chess board already in play.

Ponds and knights have already been taken. Queens and bishops are already in position.

So you walk into the room and you're asked to play the game.

You'll naturally pick aside and try to play the best you can to win with the board that's already

set. But I think there's an alternative option. What if you walk in and say I'll play but it's only fair to reset the board and if you're going to reset the board you'll need to know the proper position of all the pieces?

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