It's Over - Finally!

As I write this on Tuesday evening, I still don't know who our next president will be. When you and I woke up this morning, we heard the news. Or maybe you stayed up late last night (this morning?) to find out. Regardless, one of the two running for that office is now our new president. Whether or not it was the candidate of your choice, the results stand.

So, it's over - finally! Now what? Will we be able to repair the damage done by this presidential election? The hateful words that have been spoken, the vandalism of private property, the blatant intolerance of another's choice and opinion, the angry, hateful words written on social media; will we be able to heal from the damage done?

In my area, people who have stood on street corners holding signs have had obscenities shouted at them, several people gave them the finger, and a local businessman who had a political sign on his private lawn had it vandalized 8 times!!

I have never in my lifetime seen such hatred and venom spewed. Such unkindness, such intolerance, such shaming and name calling - even among Christians! We have certainly stooped to depths lower than any seen in recent years. It seems those who have always pushed an agenda of tolerance have very little ability to exhibit it. The damage hateful words cause is very hard to rise above. Scripture tells us that "life and death is in the power of the tongue." And there has been so much death spoken with the curse words we've thrown around. May we now covenant to be agents of life and light. May we continue to or begin to speak words of high value over one another. May we begin to pick up the pieces and be part of the healing we now so desperately need.

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

Ephesians 4:29

"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor."

Ephesians 5:2

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Colossians 3:12-15

Can we, as ambassadors of God, extend that love, that kindness, that humbleness of mind, that forgiveness, to help promote unity and healing?

What really matters? What has eternal value? 

Who is elected president? Or the love we lavish on one another?

I truly believe we all want the same thing - we desire to live in a free country, we desire to live in peace with opportunity for ourselves and our children to live a better life. We desire to be heard and know that our lives matter. 

But do we achieve that by bashing others, by spewing hatred, by disregarding another's feelings and needs? How our treatment of one another must grieve our father!

May we work for unity. Unity in the midst of diversity is possible and something to be sought after. I pray that God will help us to heal, that He will help us - Christian and non-Christian alike - to esteem one another higher than ourselves. May He give us the grace to unconditionally love - not seeking to win another over to our viewpoint - but to sincerely love. Because when it's all said and done, the only thing that really matters is love.

"Let brotherly love continue."

Hebrews 13:1