The Best

Today is Election Day. Today is the day when American adults have the opportunity to express their opinions through the act of filling in an oval with pen’s ink or by electronic means.

Today is also the day when American voters have the opportunity to choose the Best. By “Best,” I do not mean a candidate or a ballot measure option. In fact, one reason for voting is because people do not agree on who is the best candidate or which is the best stance on any issue. By “Best,” I mean the same that thing Paul meant when he used the word “greatest.”

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1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

By “Best,” I mean Love.

More often than not, Election Day is not a day when many people choose the Least or the Less Than. At least equally so, the same is true for November 6th – the day when “winner” faithfuls celebrate and “loser” supporters mourn. Now, celebrating and mourning are appropriate responses. But what often accompanies them is not. What often accompanies celebrating and mourning are name-calling, shouts of how-could-you, and vitriol.

For all people, the wise decision is to choose the Best. However, many choose not to do so.

If you are a Christian (one called to be “light” in the “dark”) - you have an opportunity today as well as tomorrow to choose the Best regardless of what others choose.

When Paul wrote about the Best (“greatest of these”) – he described it.
He wrote …

1 Corinthians 12:31b – 13:8a (NIV)
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.

Tomorrow, the person for whom you vote (or root) will be either a “winner” or a “loser." Therefore, chances are good that you will feel like you won or lost.

If you win …

• Don’t be rude (dishonor others).
• Don’t boast.
• Don’t be proud.

If you lose …

• Don’t be self-seeking.
• Don’t be easily angered.
• Don’t delight in evil.
  

May we all protect, trust, hope, and persevere. For, the Best is Love.

#ordinarylives