May 14, 2019
On May 13, Filipinos exercised their right to vote in the midterm elections.
The election season can be a highly polarizing event, and we each have witnessed how the recent elections in the Philippines caused division among Filipinos.
Our response to the elections plays a crucial role on whether we will move forward toward healing and unity, or shrink backward and experience greater disunity.
Jesus said, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:24,25).
The strength of a democracy lies in the willingness of every citizen to unite and participate in the work of nation-building.
Are we willing to fight for unity?
While politics may divide us, may our love for God, for our country, and for one another transcend our differences. When our beliefs and ideologies collide, may we choose to uphold humility and respect for one another. Instead of fighting one another, may we choose to fight for one another.
In the wake of the elections, let’s continue to pray, knowing that God remains supreme over everything, and that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus Christ.
Seeing the younger generation becoming more and more involved in political matters sparks hope in us.
Biblically speaking, the next generation has always been a game-changer, either for the better or for the worse. Moses’ generation was described as a stiff-necked people who always chose to rebel against God, which eventually disqualified them from entering the Promised Land. But Joshua’s generation arose, consecrated themselves, and claimed the inheritance that their forefathers couldn’t. Sadly though, the generation that came after Joshua’s undid the progress that their generation had attained.
As the younger generation, we have a part to play in building our nation. The true measure of our involvement isn’t the number of memes, political posts, or news articles we share, but how much we invest in addressing issues in society.
It’s easy to be a “keyboard warrior” at a time when emotions are high and everyone’s speaking up. But when the noise has subsided and the dust has settled, will we still keep on participating in the work of nation-building? Airing our sentiments on social media can spark the start of an awakening, but the real battle is won offline, beyond our screens.
This is a call to the young generation. Let the rubber hit the road. Do everything within your ability to make a positive impact in your own spheres. Inspire people, spark change, spread hope.
Grow in your skills, aspire to lead by serving, create music and art that inspire change and ignite faith and hope. Regardless of how you feel about the results of the election—whether you are rejoicing for your candidate or feeling hopeless because your candidate did not make it—let’s not forget the true battle. We have to fight for those who have not yet come to know the true source of hope, Jesus Christ.
Lastly, pray! The hardest battles are won when our knees touch the ground in prayer.
To the older generation, this is a wake-up call to raise the next generation. This is a challenge to all the educators, influencers, and thought leaders of our time. If we want to see a better nation, let us start educating, molding, and influencing the next generation with a biblical perspective and godly standards. Let us teach them to pursue godly character and to hear from God, so that their choices will not rest on limited human knowledge, but on divine wisdom that can only come from God.
If we shrink back from our duty to guide them, the cycle of corruption and poverty will not end. But if we raise the next generation to become leaders and nation-builders, we will leave this world in better hands.
As Christians, our ultimate hope is in the truth that we are receiving a kingdom that can never be shaken. The world around us may be broken, but we are part of an eternal kingdom where righteousness and justice reign.
When God finally establishes His kingdom on earth under the rulership of Jesus, evil will be no more—corruption will end, poverty will be a thing of the past, violence will be unheard of, and darkness will no longer cover the land.
But God’s kingdom is not just a future reality that we eagerly await; it is a present reality that we live in, too. Brokenness is not our complete story. The world may be dark and broken, but God is working behind the scenes to advance His kingdom.
As we desire for a better country, let our prayer be, “God, let Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!”
Let us advance God’s kingdom through our words and deeds. As His kingdom is established in every family, as the gospel makes inroads in every community, and as the Lordship of Jesus penetrates every corridor of power, we will see this nation transformed.
Ultimately, a nation’s healing does not rest on the hands of any leader or personality; it rests only on God’s hands. This is God’s promise:
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
In this pivotal time in our nation, each of us is called to stand in the gap to speak life, bring peace, and foster unity. At the end of it all, our allegiance is not just to this Republic; our highest allegiance is to God’s kingdom.
May we treat every citizen with love and respect. When the storm has passed and the election fever is over, what will stand is the fact that we are not just citizens of the Philippines. “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.” (Philippians 3:20, NLT)