Put Down the Sword, Pick Up the Cross
Alarms in Our Nation & The Call to Something Higher:
In recent weeks, heartbreak and outrage have once again gripped the nation. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University—another tragic example of political violence erupting in public spaces.
Similarly, earlier this year, Democratic state legislators in Minnesota were targeted in a deadly attack: Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were murdered in their home, and others—including Senator John Hoffman and his wife—were seriously wounded. What should be disagreements in the public square have become threats, violence, and fear.
These incidents are not isolated. Bomb threats are being made against Democratic leaders and historically Black colleges. State lawmakers are facing threats just for doing their jobs.
Why This Matters: The Need for Transcendental Biblical Ethics
When political violence escalates to this extent, it points to something deeper than politics alone—it’s a symptom that we are losing sight of something higher. We need an ethic that transcends the dividing lines of the political right or left; something rooted not in ideology or power, but in the Kingdom of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The Temptation of Political Violence
We live in a time where political tension is at a fever pitch. Social media fuels outrage, echo chambers amplify anger, and radical voices call for extreme action. For some, the temptation is to see violence — whether verbal or physical — as a justified way to defend their side. But for followers of Jesus, this path is not an option.
The way of Christ is not marked by the weapons of the world. When Peter struck with the sword in Gethsemane, Jesus told him to put it away. That same voice calls us today to lay down our swords — whether literal or digital — and follow the way of the cross.
The Kingdom of God Is Bigger Than Politics
Jesus did not come to set up a political kingdom. He said plainly, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). That means the Kingdom is higher than political parties, transcending left and right, conservative and progressive.
Our identity is not found in party platforms but in Christ. The Kingdom calls us to a loyalty that cannot be co-opted by politicians or pundits. To be a disciple is to recognize that every nation, system, and ideology will one day bow to the Lordship of Jesus.
Love as the Mark of True Discipleship
Jesus said the world would know us by our love for one another (John 13:35). That includes love for those who disagree with us politically, and even love for our enemies (Matt 5:43-44).
This is radical. The culture says, “Destroy your opponent.” Jesus says, “Pray for them.” The world says, “Cancel those who offend you.” Jesus says, “Forgive them, seventy times seven.”
To model this kind of love in a divided age is countercultural. It shows the world a Kingdom that cannot be shaken by election cycles, trending hashtags, or angry algorithms.
Don’t Let Social Media Radicalize You
One of the greatest dangers today is allowing social media to disciple us more than the Scriptures. Algorithms are designed to pull us toward outrage, anger, and division — because outrage keeps us scrolling.
But we are not called to be conformed to this world. We are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). That means the Bible must be our anchor, not Twitter threads or TikTok debates. If we are glued to anything, let it be the Word of God.
A Higher Calling
The Kingdom of Jesus is not advanced by violence, but by love. Not by shouting down opponents, but by serving them. Not by echoing the rage of our culture, but by embodying the peace of Christ.
When we resist the pull of political extremes and walk in the Spirit, we show the world a different way. A way that is not red or blue, but covered in the blood of Christ.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus,
In a world torn apart by anger, division, and violence, we confess our need for You. Forgive us for the times we’ve allowed politics, pride, or fear to shape us more than Your Word. Keep us from hatred and from the temptation to fight with the weapons of the world.
Teach us to love as You loved, even our enemies. Help us to see every person as made in Your image and to model the peace of Your Kingdom in our words, actions, and online presence. Anchor us in the truth of Scripture so we will not be swayed by outrage, but transformed by Your Spirit.
Make us instruments of Your peace, witnesses of Your Kingdom, and lights that shine in the darkness. May our lives point people not to the right or to the left, but to the cross — where true hope and true reconciliation are found.
In Your holy name we pray, Amen.