A prayer for our nation

This morning marks the dawn of a new chapter in our nation’s history, one that some celebrate and others fear. I pray that this day might be a day in which those on either side of the aisle might commit to hoping for something collectively better. But beyond hope, I pray that each citizen commit to making the world a better place for all people.

I find it interesting that the inauguration will be taking place on Martin Luther King Jr. day. This is a day marked by progress. It is marked by a belief in a collective future. It signals to the world that this nation is to be judged by their character, that we are to live together as brothers and sisters and not perish together as fools.

President Trump has a lot riding on him. A lot of people have placed a lot of hope in him, that he might deliver some sort of comfort for their predicament. Others have already doomed him to failure.

King reminds me that, though the president has power, the real power lies with the individuals of this nation. Change doesn’t happen at the policy level, it happens at the heart level. Change happens around dinner tables. In the bleachers of small town basketball games. At coffee shops. At work on Tuesday.

We all should do our best to support our president, to push him to be better for all people. But it’s not up to the president to make today better for the people around you. Most of the power to make that kind of change is in you already.

My prayer for us this morning is that we find unity in our diversity. That our differences are not something to be scared of, but instead make us better. I pray that we learn to disagree. That we learn how to have conversations. That we develop friendships with people who believe different things than us. I pray that, no matter what happens at a government level, that at a citizen level we all draw closer together. That we start eating at our neighbors’ houses.

I pray for change, for optimism to sweep the nation and the world. I pray for president Trump. But mostly I pray for you. If change is going to happen, it is going to happen because of someone like you caring a whole awful lot.

Go plant something beautiful in the world.

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