This political season seems to have topped every presidential election up to this point.Couple arguing

Name-calling, accusations, outright lies, rude debates, and voter fraud have reached an all-time high, according to many observers.

And that’s among voters, not just between candidates. If you read comments to various posts on Facebook, or to new articles on the Web, or even letters to the editor, civil discourse has practically vanished.

Many people would rather offer criticism, bring up past and recent mistakes,  and cast judgment on the candidate they oppose, than to discuss the candidates’ qualifications, debate the issues, or study the party platforms.

I have to admit it’s tempting to jump into the fray, and sometimes I do. But recently I noticed this in 1 Corinthians 4:5:

Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

The time will come when God will reveal the hearts of every person and expose all secrets to the light. Until that time, we are supposed to withhold judgment.

That’s never easy to do. When it comes time to vote, we have an obligation to vote according to our conscience, supporting the candidates whose positions most closely align with our personal values. But we can do so without pronouncing judgment on the opponents.

And most importantly, we can pray–for our decision on voting, for the candidates on both sides, and for our country. Will you join me?