This morning, I was looking back through my previous posts. I was looking for something specific: what did I write in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election. You can read the post by clicking here, but it was interesting to see that the feelings I have this morning are similar to the feelings I had on October 30th, 2020. This probably shouldn’t surprise me.

While much has changed in four years–thankfully we are not in the middle of a global pandemic–the divided state of the United States of America has not. Some elements of what divides us are different, some are not, but the chasm that separates one side of our country from the other remains. Is this really the way it should be? Most people who call the United States home would say no but yet we cannot seem to close the gap. So, where do we go from here?

Before I go any further, let me be clear that I believe it is important to exercise your right to vote. It is an honor to live in a country that provides the opportunity to do so, and we we should not take it for granted. A person should vote their conscience. Having particular beliefs and points of view, and voting based on them, is being a responsible citizen. This is not divisiveness but rather part of what makes our country great. A person is allowed to come to their own conclusions and has the ability to influence the direction of the United States by the way they exercise their constitutional rights. Disagreement is not wrong. However, demonization and dehumanization is.

This is where we find ourselves again as we approach the 2024 presidential election.

Do you think I am being a little harsh? I would challenge you to spend a little time examining posts on social media. The words people use to describe “the other side” is disturbing at times. Sadly, this is not just a “social media issue”. Instead, it is really a reflection of the narrative used by political leaders. I know, I know, everyone hates the word “narrative” these days. I would agree that it is overused, but that does not mean it is not useful. You see, the meaning of the word narrative is “a story”. I will tell you a secret (not really a secret): people are telling our country a story that collectively divides us for their individual benefit.

What do I mean? One of the quickest ways to get someone to your side is by convincing them that they are playing a zero-sum game. If “the other side” wins all hope is lost. In this type of game, there is no middle ground. It is based on a scarcity mentality that says, “There is only enough for one of us. If you get what you want, there won’t be enough for me.” This is a “life or death” kind of game. Losing is not an option.

It is easy to see how this leads to demonization and dehumanization. In fact, it makes sense. If you believe your survival is based on the result of the game, or in this case the election, you will do whatever is necessary to win. That is a natural instinct and speaks to why people, who are typically kind and loving, can fall into the trap of believing someone with a different political opinion is their enemy.

The truth is this is a great short-term strategy to win a game or an election. The problem is it is a terrible long-term strategy for creating a flourishing society. Unfortunately, it seems many of our leaders have prioritized the former at the expense of the latter. We are being told a story that only leads to destruction.

Again I ask, where do we go from here? We need to start writing different stories. Not new stories necessarily but rather stories based on fundamental truths. What are these fundamental truths? First, that at our core we have each been created equal by a Creator who loves us. If you are unsure on the Creator piece, focus on the first half of the sentence. While not always lived out perfectly, it comes from the Declaration of Independence. Seeing each other as equally created humans is fundamental to unity. We need to begin reminding each other that the people on “the other side” are people. At their core, they are not a political agenda or an enemy to be hated but rather another human with inherent value, just like you and me. It is much harder to hate another human than a dehumanized and demonized idea.

Second, we need to recognize that there is hope beyond election day. This was the focus of my post in 2020. Sometimes we give ourselves too much credit. I know I do. We think we are in complete control of the future, but the reality is much different. Whether you believe in God or just fate, most people, in their most honest moments, recognize that the future is not ultimately in our hands. I believe that we are created on purpose and for a purpose by a God who loves us. By placing my hope in the God who is ultimately in control, I am removing my hope from something as temporal as an election. This does not mean you stick your head in the sand and pretend that nothing matters. It just means you do your part and trust that, even if there are challenges, all hope is not lost if “the other side” wins the election. We need stories that remind us that there is hope beyond election day.

For me, it ultimately comes back to whether we will write stories of hope or hopelessness. Stories of hopelessness will win someone an election, but will leave the rest of us divided, living with a low level of despair as we wonder “how we got here.” Stories of hope are different. They may or may not win someone an election in the short-term, but they will lead us to the long-term win we desire: a country in which we can disagree on the issues but be united by the belief that we are equally created humans who desire the same thing, a flourishing society.

What kind of stories will you tell? What kind of country do you want? The choice is ours.

James Belt