Tip of My Iceberg

It’s been said of late that the blue has never been bluer nor the red redder.

If I was speaking of Crayola crayons, this would not be a huge issue. There may have been more color put in the vats as the crayons were formed.

But watching our political climate, especially now as the election has taken place and everyone is waiting to see who will actually occupy the Oval Office, this is a problem greater than color.

There’s a disparity of viewpoint that holds no possibility for compromise.

I’ve seen the ads, and I’ve heard the rhetoric, the strain, and pressure which have weighed on everyone. The complaints among voters, the discrepancy of what each side thinks, the accusations that have flowed freely all have made this a stressful season for all.

Then add COVID.

With the decision of who will be president not yet made, many still feel the pressure of waiting, worrying, becoming fearful their candidate won’t win.

What is true?

There will be a winner and a loser. No matter how long the process takes, only one person will sit as Commander in Chief at the White House.

We still have a Constitution that has outlined what our basic values are as a nation.

We still have three arms of government to provide checks and balances so no one individual can become a dictator.

We still have many freedoms that have made our country a desirable place to live.

God is still God; He hasn’t changed or left.

The problem doesn’t begin at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

It has more to do with us as citizens of America and our willingness to value all who live in this remarkable country. Our ability to see each other as equal, to value what each and every individual brings to the table, and to care for one another more than we do ourselves will make this nation go forward no matter who is in office.

We have been given a unique opportunity by God to live in a place that allows us to voice our differences, that encourages freedom of speech and worship, that allows us to pursue dreams that we may become better than what we are now. We are not limited by anything other than our imagination and choosing to live with others in harmony.

A God-given gift of hope.

Rather than seeing what’s wrong with the “other” side, why are we not pursuing listening to one another so we may find common ground to begin our work together? Why aren’t we doing what we can to help everyone have the freedom to dream and hope?

God, who has made each of us in His beautiful image, giving us intellect, emotions, and a will to choose, has also given us the mandate to love one another as we love ourselves.

We can do that by first loving Him and allowing Him to fill us with His perspective on others.

Rather than seeing the definitive red and blue, why don’t we come together and celebrate the purple in each of us? That part of us that is just like everyone else.

Can you imagine how much we could accomplish together with a fully purple map?