Lately the phrases I hear make me cringe. And that’s odd since I was always the one who laughed at the irreverent. But now words aren’t just irreverent, they are rude, hateful, and disrespectful to the deepest degree.

When folks fight, they tend to say horrible things. And we remember the advise “if you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything”. It was good advise and we sincerely tried, and messed up, but tried again to meet that challenge.

I don’t like the cruel things we say. Yes, I’m guilty too. But everything negative I’ve said, has come back to me. I hear it echoing and bouncing off almost everyone I meet. And it came in our politics. Something that’s been around, what feels like forever. Apparently, pulling the same ugliness out of people since the beginning of our country.

Of course I see the problems. And yes, I have an opinion about what should be done. I even question the sanity of “the opposing opinion”. But I’m going to try more diligently to stop doing that so quick and easy. I must remember that even though Jesus told people true things about the status of their heart, he did not join their “cause”. Instead, he went to the hills, away from the chaos and the noise. There he’d commune with Father in Peace.

I’m not as smart as I think. Nor am I so spiritual that I can tell someone the truth about their heart and then walk through the crowd without being seen (before they can grab and beat me).

I’m working on it. But I’d rather be in isolation with him any day.

Rest in beauty and love,

Faith