I’m going to start with this: I don’t care for politics, and I almost never talk about it on my platform. If you’ve read much of what I’ve written, you already know it’s very rare for me to say anything political.
I do think it’s important to stay informed about what’s happening—on both sides—but let’s be honest… it can be incredibly divisive.
However… I’m about to break my own rule. Sort of.
Whether you’re Republican, Democrat, or Independent—I truly don’t care. That’s not what matters to me. What matters is the kind of person you are outside of your politics.
And honestly, that’s where I think we’ve lost our way—especially in this post-COVID era.
Side note—hasn’t COVID turned into a timeline marker? Like we say, “before COVID” or “after COVID” like it’s its own era. Just me? 😂
Anyway… back to the point.
This post-COVID world seems to have accelerated division, especially politically. The other day, I saw a post on Facebook that really highlighted that divide—and it bothered me.
According to what I read, a man who identified as a Democrat decided to wear a MAGA hat for a week just to see how people would respond.
What stood out to me was this:
On one side, people became unusually friendly—approaching him, starting conversations, wanting to talk politics… even though he had no interest in those discussions.
On the other side, he received glares. People he knew wouldn’t speak to him at all.
That honestly made me sad.
And while I’d much rather see friendliness than hostility, I don’t think either response was actually right.
Because a hat shouldn’t be what determines whether we’re kind to someone.
And a hat definitely shouldn’t be what causes us to distance ourselves or dismiss someone entirely.
That kind of division is not who we are called to be.
What happened to simply smiling at people?
What happened to casual conversations that had nothing to do with politics?
When did we start deciding who is “worthy” of our kindness based on how they vote?
Who cares?
Instead, we should be asking:
- Are they kind?
- Do they show love?
- Do they have integrity?
Take politics completely out of it—would you enjoy being around this person if you didn’t know their stance?
And what about strangers?
We shouldn’t need a hat—or anything else—to spark connection. We should be willing to look up from our phones, even if we’re just standing in line for coffee, and simply say hello.
Imagine how different our world would feel if we led with kindness toward people we know nothing about… and didn’t feel the need to label them first.
Scripture makes this so clear:
1 Corinthians 16:14
“Do everything in love.”
1 John 3:18
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Love should define us—not politics.
Yet too often, politics are being used to divide relationships, damage friendships, and even prevent new ones from forming. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.
I’ll leave you with this from Proverbs 3:3–4 (TPT):
*“Hold on to loyal love and don’t let go,
and be faithful to all that you’ve been taught.
Let your life be shaped by integrity,
with truth written upon your heart.
That’s how you will find favor and understanding
with both God and men—
you will gain the reputation of living life well.”*
At the end of the day, it’s not about the labels we wear—it’s about the love we live out.
angelaschmeling 