love and good deeds

As much as I want to care for the people who are obviously hurting after the election, I have to confess I’m getting to a point of overload. As a white man, I don’t experience this the same way they do, even though I’m didn’t get my preferred outcome to the election either. I get that. I also get that racism and sexism and a lot of ugly things exist. But after a week of blogs and Twitter posts about surviving the election and providing safe spaces, it’s starting to feel like so much wheel-spinning. 

As a guy who left home a few weeks before his 18th birthday to go to Basic Training (no safe spaces there!) and never went back, I may not be the best one to nurture less-resilient 18-year-olds through this, much as I’d like to. I’m willing to wear a safety pin if that’s what people need, but it doesn’t seem like much. I want something concrete, something I can do. 

Reading from Hebrews this morning, I read this familiar passage again, in chapter 10 verses 19-25: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

For whatever reason, this is helpful to me, especially the part about encouraging each other – no, spurring one another on – toward love and good deeds. That, after all, is both eminently practical and by far the best thing we can do for those who feel marginalized. 

So, after reading several dozen blogs and articles outlining plans to resist the new administration, and to cope with Thanksgiving dinner with family who voted wrong, and to do good self-care to work through the devastation and uncertainty, I’ve finally found a plan that resonates with me: love and good deeds. 

So that's my plan, for the Make America Great Again crowd and the NeverTrump group, for Republicans and Democrats, for men and women and children, for all races and nationalities and abilities and identities. Love and good deeds. And, hopefully, I can also spur a few others toward the same thing.