Focus

Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.

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Read

Ephesians 4:25–5:2 (NRSV)

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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Reflect

The United States is almost a week past one of the most contentious presidential elections in our history; half of our country is unhappy about the outcome. If past elections are any indication, each side will continue to blame the other for everything that goes wrong for the next four years. I do imagine, however, that we can all agree we are glad the election is finally over.

Far too often we focus on how we are different from our opponents. We focus on where we disagree, rather than our common interests. We start to see ourselves as superior and our opponents as “less than.” It all starts with a few negative words.

Former President Bill Clinton once said, “There is nothing wrong in America that can’t be fixed with what is right in America.” I believe this to be true of Christianity as well. If we are truly to follow Christ in our daily walk of faith, we must try to heal the great divide that has shown itself this election season. We must build up one another with kindness and compassion. We have to get rid of our bitterness and anger. Even if our candidate did not win, we have a new president. That person, and the many other newly elected officials will need our prayers and our help. Most importantly, we must remember that we are more than Republican vs. Democrat, or Liberal vs. Conservative. We are human beings striving to live out our faith in a world that needs less conflict, and more conversation.

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Pray

Holy Savior, we are fractured people living in a broken world. We seek your healing guidance. We see our differences instead of focusing on our commonalities. May we recognize in one another not what separates us, but what brings us together. Amen.

Go with God.