I am grieved at this election—not due to the presidential-elect, but because of the nation's response.

Because of how this election played out, some individuals have made it their right to speak out against a race, sexual orientation, or religion. Derogatory slurs are being thrown around as if they belong in common vernacular; vandalism is appearing as if it were a longstanding pillar of the community. Human beings are being beaten because of their ancestry, deeply held beliefs, and simple existence.

Regardless of your political party, one thing remains: we are all human beings who deserve to be treated with respect and love. Regardless of someone's religion, sexual orientation, or race, every person on this planet deserves to be treated with dignity.

This idea holds massive implications for those who are professing believers in Jesus Christ. I am not writing to those who dismiss Christianity; I am writing to my brothers and sisters in Christ—the ones who represent the manifest presence of the Holy God. In this time of chaos, the Lord has pressed three calls upon my heart:

Encourage Unity

When the nation seems the most divided, we must be the calming force within the storm of adversity. In the midst of the blatant racism spewing throughout our cities, we have the opportunity to foster a peace that seems foreign right now. Within the Body, there is to be a unity that reflects the Trinity (John 17:21-23); however, it cannot just stop there. If we remain in our unified Christian bubble without seeking the hurt and the broken, we've missed the point. We are to "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another" (Romans 12:15-16).

Listen Quietly

The last thing this nation needs right now is a body of Believers with a "fix it" attitude. Often, when we hear of a loved one struggling, our immediate response is to drop everything and offer our wise solution to whatever problem at hand—regardless of how equipped we are to offer any input. Right now, we need to be ready to listen without judgment, without retort, and without a four-point sermon on how to simply "get better"—especially if we cannot understand the offense firsthand. We are called to "bear one another's burden" (Galatians 6:2), not to fix them.

Love Boldly

As Believers, we should be marked by our love. Not one of us is more deserving of life than another, for we know and understand the depth of our own depravity. The sheer fact that we have been unconditionally loved at our most unlovable should encourage and convict us to extend that love despite the identity or beliefs of those around us. We don't have to agree with people to love them. "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).