Jan 28th, 2021: Be Renewed in The Spirit of Your Mind

 

 

Some people are still working through the post-election saga in the US. I cannot recall a presidential election that divided the country, agonized many communities and split families like this past election. Some say that it is the outcome of having the last president who purposely divided the nation to manipulate. Others might say that he spoke on their behalf and expressed their sentiment toward the ruling elites.

Regardless of where we stand politically, the US needs to be strong and healthy for it to provide leadership and hope to a very fast-changing world. If we continue to bicker, we will reap the worst political and economic harvest that we have not yet seen. So what does healing look like for a very broken America?

Creating a new context so together we can build trust: the context we have now is unhealthy and untrustworthy. People are struggling with trusting or the lack of it. No one seems to be able to command that trust at the moment. The press has lost its moral compass and needs time to re-situate itself. The first step in establishing trust is to acknowledge that none of us is always right. That demands tremendous humility and courage.

Forming a new understanding so that we see beyond the walls of our biases. We now talk about new freedom. It is the freedom to be wrong. It is the freedom in not knowing. We will not base our understanding on how we see the world and people. It starts with how we see ourselves as servants to one another. It is not about being on the left or the right of the political spectrum. It is about helping one another to be more in tune with the need of the whole based on where we are at that moment.

I don't pretend that I have the answers for the mess we are in at this moment. I have listened to men and women from both sides of the conversation. My encouragement is to park our slogans at home and to leave our agenda at the door. Listen to one another carefully. We might unwrap a new gift of understanding. When that happens, those who want to manipulate us will be left behind. We are now entering the roles of facilitators of life. When there is life, God is there.

Ephesians 4: 23

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;"

Psalm 133: 1

"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!"