A Post-Election Devotional
Matthew 22:20–21 And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
The signs are coming down. The ads have stopped. Now we're left with the morning after, whatever that morning looks like for you.
Some of us woke up relieved. Some woke up grieving. Most are just tired and glad it's over. Here's what I've noticed: the day after an election, many carry a strange hangover of the soul. If our side won, there's a quiet smugness we'd rather not admit. If our side lost, there's a low dread that sits in the chest and won't move.
Have you been there? Can you relate?
They came at Jesus with a trap dressed up as a compliment. "Teacher, we know that You are true." Then the knife: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Say yes and the crowd turns on Him. Say no and Rome does.
So He asked for a coin, a little denarius like you'd have in your pocket. He held it up and asked whose image was stamped on it. Caesar's, of course. Then He said the sentence that has steadied His people for two thousand years.
Notice what He didn't do. He didn't tell them to walk away from public life. He didn't hand Caesar a blank check either. He held both together, and the crowd walked off marveling.
Here's the thing about that coin. It bore Caesar's image, so it belonged to Caesar. But you bear another image. You were made in God's image and bought back at a price. That means the morning after the election, you can get up as someone whose citizenship is already settled. A citizen of two kingdoms, held by One whose throne was never on the ballot.
So what do we do now? We go back to work. We love our actual neighbors, the ones on our street, not the ones on our feeds. We pray for whoever is in office, whether we voted for them or not, because that's what God's people have always done. We refuse to let the outcome of an election decide how we treat the person across the pew from us, especially if they voted the other way.
We can do all of it without our peace riding on the returns, because the deepest problem in the world was never a policy problem. It was a sin problem, and that one has already been solved. Not by a candidate, but by a cross.
Takeaway: The election is over. Your hope was never on the ballot. It's in the One who holds all outcomes in His hands, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Prayer: Lord, You rule over every kingdom and every election, and You were not surprised by a single result. Forgive me for the times I've looked to politics for what only You can give. Heal the division in our land and in my own heart. Give me wisdom to serve my neighbor, humility toward those who voted differently, and peace that doesn't depend on the outcome. My hope is in You, and You have never lost a vote. Amen.
And whatever the returns said — you matter to God.
About the Author Rev. Dr. Keith Haney is an author, podcast host, leadership consultant, and executive director specializing in organizational management and leadership development. As the host of Becoming Bridge Builders and the author of Guided by Grace: A Narrative to Lead Organizational Change, he helps leaders navigate complex cultural and organizational transitions with wisdom, courage, and faith.