Play nicely. Really.

 But now, this is what the LORD says— 

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; 

   I have summoned you by name; you are mine." 

--Isaiah 43:1a, 2a

[Neatly prooftexted. Apologies all 'round.]

I thought about calling this post something else. But since we are, after all, children of the Almighty-- well, playing nicely seems to be what we all should manage.

We still have nearly seven long months until the presidential election here in the good old United States of America. 

It seems to me we have a couple of choices:

We can allow our candidates to call each other every name in the book, true or untrue. We can listen and cheer (or jeer) as they disrespect not only the man (or woman) but also the office to which they seek election. We can pick up the nearest overripe lump of produce, heft it gently, take careful aim and . . . .

-OR-

We can choose, deliberately make the choice to behave differently.

I look at my friends' posts on Facebook and realize: some of the people I really enjoy reading have very little in common with me. Yet because we look beyond our differences and embrace the heart within-- it's just remarkable, the respect-filled, loving conversations we can engage in, without changing anyone's mind-- or even desiring to do so-- but just listening, learning and thanking.

Let me tell you what I think. (It is my blog. I am allowed to do this.)

I do not care if you love guns or butter. (I am not a fan of firearms, and I will never be a vegan.) 

I do not care if you love men or if you love women. All are worthy of the love of God. (Heck-- I even have a friend whose child used to be one and is now the other. Still the same beloved child of a Creator who makes no mistakes.)

I do not care for simplistic labels. I am conservative and I am radical. And I am liberal. Oh-- and I am also progressive. It simply depends on what we are talking about. 

Look at the deeper meanings of each of these words, beyond the media definitions designed to divide us. 

Conservative. Finding value in our traditions from the past. 

Radical. Getting back to the radix or root.

Liberal. From the same root word that gives us liberation. 

Progressive. Progressing. Moving forward, being willing to change.

The next seven months will be exhausting, no doubt about that. But don't let them wear you out because you allow yourself to be sucked in to the jargon of hatred and divisiveness.

The Lord, the father of all Creation, has called each one of us-- by name.

We are God's. Every last one of us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyHvO4xoEh4

Heavenly Father, who loves us like no other, help us to see through your eyes, and especially, to speak your language of hope and promise. We are one Family, and we are grateful for our loving Daddy. Amen.