This election season has got to be the most hateful on record. With only nine days until Election Day, you’d think emotions would start to simmer, but the hate still seems to be picking up steam. Our nation is divided by issues and candidates, and the chasm between the two groups seems ever-growing. This is not unlike the political landscape in which Jesus lived during his earthly ministry. At that time in history, the brutal Roman Empire ruled in Israel. While most Jews submitted to the Romans, some went a step further and collaborated with the Romans at the expense of their own people (tax collectors). Others were determined to resist the Roman occupation, including a somewhat radical group known as the Zealots. In the middle of this mess was Jesus. I’m sure everyone was surprised when he declared allegiance to a third “side”—God’s side.

Jesus’ inner circle included people from both ends of the political spectrum. Matthew was a tax collector and Simon was a Zealot. Interestingly, we have no record of Jesus talking them through their political differences. Scripture overwhelmingly shows that Jesus called his disciples beyond “the issues” to another way of thinking, behaving, and relating to each other—the Way. In John 13:35, Jesus defines love as the hallmark characteristic of the Way: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” In the same conversation, Jesus identifies this as “a new commandment” (John 13:34). Loving each other is not a suggestion, nor is it a best practice. Love is a command. God has given a number of commandments, and when Jesus was asked to identify the greatest, he said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:36-40). There are entire books that could be written about the implications of this statement, but even at its simplest definition, “Love your neighbor as yourself” means to treat people with love and respect.

As far as Jesus is concerned, the big question for Christians in this election season is not who you’re voting for, but how you’re loving others. The idea that all Christians are—or should be—in the same political party, the “Christian” party, is not the message of Jesus. This is the message of the Religious Right. Political issues and policies are extremely complex. As such, it is not uncommon for two people with the same depth of Christian faith to reach two different conclusions about any particular political issue. Labeling a particular candidate as the “Christian candidate” does far more harm than good; I’d argue that it’s also a bad witness. As people who are called to follow Jesus, we should be very careful about how we express our loyalty to powerful people of the world. Substituting Jesus for a political candidate during election season makes the Christian faith look insincere at best. While most of the Religious Right doesn’t see it that way, that’s exactly how it looks to anyone else.

While I find no biblical evidence that it’s wrong to participate in the politics of the world, there is a ton of biblical evidence—in particular, evidence from the life of Jesus—to love one another even in times of conflict. Jesus says, “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Matt. 5:44-45). There it is in red: Love like the sun shines and the rain falls—indiscriminately. Christians with opposing political views should disagree in such a loving and respectful way that others take notice. Would a total stranger read or hear your words and think, ‘Wow, that was loving’? This is a tall order—believe me, I know. To disagree lovingly always requires us to put aside our pride and resist the urge to prove ourselves right.

For those of us who cannot yet disagree with love, there is always silence. There’s a lot of pressure right now to participate in the election, with many claiming there’s a lot at stake—social justice, supreme court nominees, and more. Caring about these issues is not wrong, but don’t allow yourself to become too invested in a particular election outcome. After all, our hope is not in political power or human power; our hope is in the Lord.