Seek the Peace and Prosperity of the City in which I have placed you.
וְדִ רְ שׁוּ אֶת-שְ ׁלוֹם הָעִיר, אֲשֶ ׁר הִגְלֵיתִ י אֶתְ כֶם שָ ׁמָ ּה, וְהִתְ פַּלְלוּ בַעֲדָ הּ, אֶל-יְהוָה: כִּי בִשְ ׁלוֹמָ הּ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שָ ׁלוֹם ז
JEREMIAH 29:7
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
תן אהבה ונאמנות לעולם לא אעזוב אותך; לקשור אותם סביב הצוואר שלך, לכתוב אותם על לוח לבך. אז ;אתה תנצח טוב שם טוב בעיני אלוהים ואדם. אמון ה ’עם כל הלב שלך ואת רזה לא על הבנה משלך
PROVERBS 3:3-5
The citizens of this country have not only been in shock, but in some cases and in some places nearly at war with each other. I have many friends and colleagues that I don’t necessarily agree with in the voting booth. In most cases, this disagreement isn’t about what we want for this country or for our fellow citizens, our disagreement is more about which party and policies will deliver the shared desires of a kinder, safer, better-educated, and more prosperous country for all of our fellow citizens.
The politicians, who claim to represent us, live off the power that the government gives them, and the media makes a living by tearing us apart versus pulling us together. Jim WalkerI do not the fear the motives of my friends, nor am I afraid of what they want this country to look like, because we have a mutual respect for each other and we are not fighting over money and power. The politicians, who claim to represent us, live off the power that the government gives them, and the media makes a living by tearing us apart versus pulling us together.
The wisdom of Proverbs tells us that the key to living with each other is Love and Faithfulness. Love and Faithfulness are the glue that holds friendships, marriages, cities and countries together. It is the key to being friends with those you disagree with because you trust their motives, even though you have a difference of opinions on method. This weekend I was working on a project with Reggie Davis, who is the Executive Director of Streets Ministries. He and I may have voted differently in this recent election, but if I could vote for Reggie to be President of the United States, I would have no fear of what he wants for our country.
While our country may be politically polarized down the middle, evidenced by the election of President Obama eight years ago and the election of Donald Trump today, I do not believe that the majority of Americans, when dealing with each other, are polarized to each other’s motives. Love and Faithfulness are what blesses a family; Love and Faithfulness strengthen friendships; Love and Faithfulness build peace in a city; Love and Faithfulness, eight years ago, were the key to a splintered nation overcoming the great recession; and Love and Faithfulness will be the key to this country overcoming the shock of this election.
I do not believe that the majority of Americans, when dealing with each other, are polarized to each other’s motives.Jim Walker
By our nature, we all work for what we think is best, but Proverbs tells us to “trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding.” Newsweek would not look so silly today if they had listened to the wisdom of Proverbs. In the political realm, elected officials battle over methods of governance, but we as individuals have to trust in the Lord and let Love and Faithfulness serve as the glue that governs our relationships to each other.