Last night I went to bed early.
I ate some Ben & Jerry's "Empowermint" Democracy Ice Cream, watched part of a movie, and was asleep by 9. I've never stayed awake late very well.
I also don't enjoy watching election results come rolling in. I vote. But watching maps and percentages is both boring and anxiety-inducing to me. Plus I have 18 energetic kids with whom I spend my days and I need all the sleep I can get.
I went to bed fairly sure of one outcome.
And woke up to find that all predictions had been wrong.
Donald Trump was the President-Elect.
I was shocked.
My heart has been hurting the whole election cycle.
Hate, division, oppression, and fear have driven so many interactions -- on both sides. Hate has been encouraged in some ways, and fear capitalized on.
We've seen exactly how divided we are as a nation.
My shock early this morning came with a fair dose of fear and grief. Fear for how free hate may be allowed to run, and grief for how so many people must be feeling.
Grief for my students who had so clearly expressed their own opinions and fears about the election and the candidates. For my neighbors who are all minorities and immigrants. For people who had hoped for a different outcome, to break glass ceilings and shatter stereotypes. For people who so often find themselves on the outside, in the margins, overlooked and unwelcome -- who are fearful for their safety and their freedoms because of the outcome of this election.
And all I could do at 4:45 this morning was pray.
I prayed for peace and wisdom and grace, for the ability to understand, and the willingness to step up and step in.
But what I really prayed was this: that this would be a defining moment for us, for the Church.
That in the midst of this division, we would display otherworldly unity.
When those around us yell for exclusion, we would open our arms and doors and say "Come in! NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WHERE YOU'RE FROM -- come in, come be with us, be part of us."
When the world wonders where the safe places and people are, we would be those safe places and safe people.
When others are closing themselves in, we would step out and go into our cities and communities with open minds and hearts and hands.
That we would mean it -- in every possible way -- when we say we are pro-life. That we would be pro-baby, pro-single mom or dad, pro-child and family who need assistance, pro-refugee, pro-immigrant, pro-black lives matter, pro-cops matter, pro-people who are in recovery, pro-those who are incarcerated, pro-orphan, pro-foster care, pro-those who are ill, pro-anyone and everyone you can possibly think of because that's what we are called to do. Be pro-people. Because ALL people are made in His image, and we don't get to choose which lives matter and who we'll help or welcome or love.
That when we say we love our neighbor, the world actually sees us DOING it.
That when it gets hard and everyone else runs away, we would stick it out and not give up.
When hate speech and anger rule the day in the world, our speech will be seasoned with grace and truth -- and a few extra helpings of grace.
When there is oppression and injustice, we would be on the front lines fighting it.
When other ears are closed, ours will remain open.
When others are for themselves, we would be to. We would be for them -- for their rights and lives and peace. Because when we fight for the rights of others, everyone's rights stay safe and we all benefit.
I prayed that the world would not see us as defensive and angry, but full of love and mercy and grace.
I prayed that we would be the People we've been called to be.
That this would be our moment to step up and work hard and love like Jesus does. That we would be defined by our Love, because it is His Love.
That though hate reigns around us, we would be people of Love.
John 13:35 says "By this everyone will know you are My disciples, if you love one another."
Let's let that be true.
Let's be defined by our Love.
For each other.
For our nation.
For the stranger.
For the excluded.
For the poor.
For the world.
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