We're going to take a brief break from our series on Mosaic Church's doctrinal beliefs to help you get your minds and hearts right as Christians for what is sure to be a challenging year collectively for our community, our nation, and our world.

You may have noticed that 2024 is an election year, and while elections are always contentious, this year promises to be one of the most polarizing in decades. Many historians say the currents of popular opinion and the anxieties of the time are reminiscent of the years before the Civil War or the tumultuous 1960s. We no longer see our political and cultural opposites as people who believe in a different path to a common goal – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – but rather as existential threats to our way of life. Simply put, we believe our opponents mean us and the nation harm, which guarantees no matter what the outcome, half of us will be dissatisfied, angry, and unwilling to accept the results.

It would be easy for Christians to put their heads in the sand or, worse, get swept up in the conflict in unhealthy and even unbiblical ways. Jesus made it clear that we are to be salt and light in the world, and hiding isn't an option, but neither is setting the world ablaze. Jesus told his followers in Matthew 5:15-16, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Let's examine current trends, illuminating them with the Scriptures, to determine how we as Christians live and interact with others amid intense conflict and division. The opportunity for us to let our light shine is never greater than when darkness threatens to consume us.

Jesus tells us, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). There's some robust theology in that simple statement: if we believe, we have nothing to fear and hope to give to others.

I won't be there in person, so I'll miss being with you. I welcome your prayers for our household as we navigate illness and loss.

Blessings to you,

Ron