Get Ready to Do Good Work Today
Today is the day following the vote. Voting is concluded. Today, OUR work begins. The first work is this: today we remove our political party shirts and put on the Kingdom of Heaven jersey! Today, we are working for the Kingdom of Heaven. Today we get to bring the marks of the kingdom of heaven down into the world where we live — compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love — on a day when the world where we live needs compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
Today, OUR work begins. The second work is this: today we choose to trust in the sovereignty and wisdom of God.
Today, OUR work begins. The third work is this: today we pray for the healing of the divisions and hate breaking our country. Sadly, many of us have lived down to the ways of the world and contributed to growing division and hate. Sadly, at times our candidates lived down to the ways of the political world and contributed to growing division and hate. Sadly, at times our political commentators and sources have lived down to the ways of the world and stirred growing division and hate for the boost in ratings it created. Sadly, at times our candidates’ followers and supporters lived down to the ways of partisanship and contributed to growing division and hate. This work will not be easy. But if you think this work is too hard for you, think of the great American president: Abraham Lincoln at his 2nd inauguration:
With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
Today, OUR work begins. The fourth work is this: today we refuse to be triggered by voices and emotions on talk shows, podcasts, commentators, social media influencers.
Today, OUR work begins. The fifth work is this: today we refuse to make volatile statements to others that trigger responses that pull us down. Today we choose to use our words for good, not for division. Today, we choose to listen more than we speak.
Today is a great day because today we get to bring the marks of the kingdom of heaven down into the world where we live: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
Today is a work day. Let’s get on with it!