Scripture:

James 1


What to THINK when Christians vote differently

Written by: Amanda Dumas

We’ve all been there. You’re on a first date and you find out… they prefer pineapple on their pizza. Or worse, you’re chilling in the living room with your roommates on a hot September evening snacking on spicy cheetos or maybe pineapple pizza and you find out… they put up Christmas decorations in October!

How could someone ever support that?

And thus you are presented with a dilemma. Do you share that you disagree? And how do you disagree with someone without being divisive? (you do want to go on a second date with this person after all)

Maybe sharing that you favor fruit-free pizza or that you prefer decorating after Thanksgiving isn’t scary. But there are some disagreements that are a bit more intimidating.

Because, just like with the above scenarios, most of us have been in situations where someone says “I think abortion should be legal/illegal” “I think medical marijuana should/shouldn’t be legalized” “I think building a wall on the Mexican border is a good/bad idea” “I’m voting for ___”

And you think,

“How could someone ever support that?”

I’m glad you asked. Because that leads us to our first subtitle…


How could someone support that?

No, really. Ask yourself that question. A barrier to talking about politics is often the thought that this person is fundamentally different than you. We put them on the “other side” of issues and think, “what could we possibly have in common?” “How could I work with this person to make the world a better place?”


This is a loud culture and oftentimes, we contribute to the noise by talking and sharing and sure, there’s a place for that. But as Christians, especially during an election year, it would be helpful for us to heed some of James’ advice.

“You must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” (James 1:19)


So when we disagree with someone, we must first slow down and recognize some simple truths. When we see the good in another believer and we know they are seeking Christ’s heart, we know that we are (probably, hopefully) working to make the world a better place. So start with the common denominator and look for areas where you agree.


To do that, we must ask better questions.

  • What do you think we can do to improve society?

  • What would make our community better?

  • How can we meet these specific needs?

  • What reasons do you have for supporting *insert specific policy*?


And then listen. How can I work with this person to make the world a better place?


But what if it gets personal?


Policies affect day to day lives. And thus, when people vote one way or the other, it can feel very, very personal.


We should be quick to listen and we should listen for a long time. But that is not to say we should never speak. There are times when it is appropriate and necessary to share our stories and our interpretations of scripture.

After all, politics isn’t pizza.


(For more details on this, check out the devotional on How to Engage with Christians who Vote Different.)