Before the watch party

This election has been as cantankerous a one as I’ve ever experienced. My own emotions have been stoked by inflammatory rhetoric on both sides. 

I mostly just turn away in disgust these days. I constantly have to remind myself to pray and leave the outcome of this election in God’s hands. 

I shudder at the thought of violence over an American election. What have we become? Have we forgotten that there are easier ways than war to deal with one another? 

If we forget, we will do so at a great cost, and what a shame that would be. 

Our kids and grandkids play sports together and attend the same schools. We are more alike than we are different, if we would just take a closer look. 

I see a lot of people who seem to be resigning themselves to the possibility that election results may not go as they wanted.

That’s okay. We can put up with whomever for four years. We can work on becoming peacemakers so the next election won’t be as ugly. 

We can focus on defeating a pandemic and becoming well. We can put up our Christmas trees and think of Jesus, our Emmanuel, which means God with us. 

We can be the one to bite our tongue. to turn our cheek, to love as Jesus loved. 

When mankind did his worst to Jesus, He said, Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing. 

We don’t always know what we are doing. Let’s acknowledge that. Let’s come together. 

Let’s have a watch party, and believe in America and each other. 

Our best days don’t have to be over.