I wrote this article during a particularly heated and divisive election year. I thank God that election is over, but from experience, I realize there will be more subjects to argue about. Whether my chosen candidate won or lost, there will be more conflicts springing from great passions. That’s the way the world is. The ruler of this world, Satan, (John 12:31 and 14:30) is working day and night to divide us. Brother against brother, child against parent, Christian against Christian.

We are individuals with differing opinions. We like to protect those opinions, draw lines of battle, protect our territory.

Don’t we have trouble letting people close? Is it difficult letting them see our inmost feelings? Is it hard to open our heart, leaving it unprotected?

Misunderstandings and differences of opinion lead to hurt and alienation. We build walls for protection. We need those walls because someone might hurl insults, hurtful words, anger at us. A heart is easily broken.

Read any of a number of self-help books, listen to motivational speakers. We hear be strong, get back up, fight back.

Read the Bible. We were not created for this kind of living. We were built for relationship—true, whole-hearted relationship. We thrive on togetherness.

The walls we’ve built are thick and they are tough to break down. But when we take that difficulty to Jesus, he breaks down walls and breaks the chains that bind us to fear.

• As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to be one. We may not have identical opinions, but we have one God, one Savior, one hope. We have one destination. We are called to be like-minded in mercy and forgiveness. (John 17:20-26)
  
• We are called to unity, sympathy, brotherly love, tenderness and humility. (1 Peter 3:8)
  
• We have fellowship with one another. We serve one God. We are saved by one Savior. (1 John 1:7)

When passions rise, I’ll ask myself:

• As one saved by grace, aren’t I called to offer grace?
  
• As one loved by God, aren’t I called to love?
  
• As one forgiven, aren’t I called to forgive?

Elections come bringing division and hostility, but there will be a day when every divisive topic will fade away. When we leave this world and enter Heaven, there will be only God and His glory.

Jesus gave us the commandment—to love one another as he loves us. He loves the sinful and unlovable. If He didn't, there would be no one to love on this planet. Jesus said all people will know we belong to him by the way we love one another. (John 13:34-35)