Words Matter

“This election has hurt people, and the pain it caused certainly does not end today. But democracy does not end today, either. We are still bound to each other. We can still hold one another accountable for making a better world. We can name our pain and demand to be treated better, because LOVE demands respect and dignity, not just a vote every now and then. Today is just the beginning of a new day, and we get to decide what that means.” - Michael Pickett, M.Div., STM

Words matter. Words both inspire and incite, and because of this, they matter. The words above, from a seminary colleague, inspire me today. They give me hope that the future of our country—and the future of my children—might be one where love and reconciliation are lifted higher than opinions and differences.

Unfortunately, there are so many words out there. And they all compete for the precious and limited time that people will give to them. Some are helpful, some are hurtful.

It is with this in mind that I find myself saying less...writing less. Because there are simply too many competing words, and not enough time in the day to read or hear them all.

So I will not write much today. It may not matter that I write anything at all. But, because words do matter, I will still write...

Let us love each other. Let us also feel some sadness when a country is divided over a presidential election. Let us feel conflicted when we speak before we listen. Then let us listen. And then, let us love, even in disagreement.