Follow Him First: Resisting the Pressure to Pick a Side

Everywhere I turn, it feels like Christians are being forced to pick a side, or a side is assumed on their behalf. And somehow, if you refuse to choose, you’re seen as weak, secretive, naive, or that you don't care for this country. The pressure isn’t just political; it’s spiritual.

"Allegiance to a party has quietly become its own religion," and all the while, the words Jesus spoke keep echoing fainter and fainter in the distance: “Follow Me." It’s easy to see how this happened. Churches have failed His flock, the news has amplified division, social media reels punish neutrality, and political leaders demand loyalty.

But Scripture reminds us of a different path.

Jesus wasn't a politician. He didn’t campaign and He didn’t promise worldly power. He came to do something unprecedented: to save us, to offer forgiveness, and to reconcile people with God through His death and resurrection.

Also, He gave us this nugget to chew on: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Somewhere along the way this was somehow forgotten, or conveniently placed aside.

Politics vs. Unity in Christ

The truth is that Christians are more divided than ever before, and instead of standing united against what is wrong and evil, too often I see people pitted against one another instead. In marriage, there is a common phrase "it's us against the issue, not us against each other." We should be applying this in all things, and be united as the Body of Christ, despite differences.

Denomination against denomination. Red against blue. Right against left.

This is not how this should be.

Christians should be walking together in faith yet are tearing each other apart over something that should never have separated us from the beginning. While the real issues, the broken systems, the lack of accountability, the moral decay, remain unchallenged because of these divisions.

Satan thrives in this chaos.

He doesn’t need to create more evil. He only needs to keep people busy fighting among themselves to get that job done, while sitting back with proverbial popcorn and laughing in glee, because we are creating and feeding the evil.

Division is easier than the truth, and distraction is more effective than repentance.

The call of Christ is simple: “Follow Me.” No party line, no political litmus test, no hashtag loyalty. Just faithful, obedient discipleship. It feels to me like people are in this strange mad frenzy to control this country, without coming to realize that 1) they don't and 2) they need to surrender all to God and let Him lead.

Here is the simplest truth: if you follow Him first, everything else falls into place.

There Is No Such Thing As A Lesser Evil

I hear this one all the time: “We have to pick the lesser of two evils.” 

Every time I hear it, I feel sick. Why should I have to choose any evil at all? That makes no sense to me. Scripture doesn’t call us to settle for what’s “okay enough.” We have the right to vote, but if we feel convicted not to, or to vote in a way others wouldn’t expect, that is also our right.

And if anyone tells you otherwise, especially a Christian, tell them to take it up with God, because if he does do that to you, it going to take a lot a of deep and trusting faith to step back and let Him take the lead.

We participate in many ways that keep this country running, following laws, paying taxes (and tax on our taxes), volunteering at shelters, mentoring youth, supporting schools, donating to community programs, working hard at our jobs, caring for neighbors, and helping raise the next generation. 

These everyday actions give us the right to have a voice and form our own opinions, no matter what anyone says. Voting is one option, but listening to God when convicted is just as valid. True power comes from standing with Christ, which is more important than any marked ballot.

We are not required to choose between two evils. Our country got to this point because the mindset “We have to pick the lesser of two evils” has become an acceptable excuse and a convenient write-off to avoid moral responsibility. This nation created the mess it is in and built a political system with leaders who are not good for this country.

Choosing rightly by God's direction, even if that means abstaining, is an act of faith in God to provide, not apathy. Please come to understand that God is stronger than any vote, party, ideology, or leader. Step back, and center yourself in Christ first, and the rest will follow.

I have always believed Jesus is mightier than any system or government, so where did that faith go in this country?

Campaign Promises vs. Reality

Another phrase I hear often is: “You should vote for this party because they protect life.” That statement has become almost automatic; people say it like that means they just sorted out your faith for you.

That phrase gets repeated so often that I honestly feel it has replaced a much deeper, required process, seeking God’s guidance first and letting Him shape your convictions about how you engage with this country.

The reality is, protecting all life has not happened. Sure, some measures were taken in recent years, but life is still not fully protected. So why should I pledge allegiance to any party based on that platform? Neither party has succeeded in protecting the most innocent among us.

True Colors

Now, we have files and stories that can't be ignored or excused coming out showing some pretty vivid true colors. Faithful prayer and following Christ could have prevented much of this horror from happening if people had put Him first and let Him guide the country when choosing leaders.

It’s painfully clear that many leaders are not the good people once imagined. And because this country has leaned so heavily on political leaders for its moral direction instead of God, we’ve invited this mess into our own backyard.

I feel deeply convicted that following any party or person just because of a single issue, concern, or belief is both stupid and fundamentally opposed to Christ’s command: “Follow Me.” Politics has succeeded in shaping faith in this country. We are no longer a country of the faithful. We are a country of political bullet points.

The Path Forward

The path forward is crystal clear, in fact, it couldn't be any clearer. "Follow Me."

Not Red. Not Blue. Not Right. Not Left. Not a leader. Not an ideology.

Him first.

If we return to our identity in Christ, everything else, the brokenness, the hurt, the divisions, will be held in the light of His truth. And maybe then, the world will see what it looks like when His people stand together, not against each other, but for Him.

© Jane Isley