By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. John 13:35

By the time you are reading this the Federal election is over. Either Mr Trudeau won a second mandate, a majority or minority or Andrew Scheer was able to turn the tables and is now on his way to 24 Sussex Dr.

Perhaps Jagmeet Singh or Elizabeth May hold the balance of power? One never knows what role the Bloc will play, and they may have more influence and seats than the NDP and Greens. Regardless, the election is over and we can all go back to our regularly scheduled lives.

But I wonder what would happen if in light of the Gospel and the verse above we were to go back through our Facebook and Twitter feeds, what would we find?

Would we find good factual information shared or memes insulting the leaders? Would we find the positive proposals highlighted or another string of insults demeaning Trudeau or Scheer? Do we condone behaviour that belittles or do we rise above it and show God’s love to the world?

Public theology is the engagement and dialogue with the larger society by the church and individual Christians. It seeks a fair and just society for all by engaging issues of common interest to build the common good. We, therefore talk with society not just to society. And no time is better for this to happen than election season. And nothing is quite as public as social media.

So what have you shared? Have your posts and comments reflected love for one another?

I wonder if I am ready to stand before God with the resume of my social media posts in my hands. Would they convict me of love for one another or indict me as someone who put aside the Gospel to fling a little mud during a bitterly fought election campaign?

Perhaps a good exercise is to go back, read what we shared and ask ourselves if by sharing it I made the Gospel known? Did others see Christ through our shares and retweets? The world is watching and we should always be deeply conscious of the responsibility each of us as the baptized share in making Christ known through word and deed. Even and most especially, during election seasons.