Words are powerful. They can be used to bring about good or evil.
Today, we are bombarded by people sharing thoughts on Facebook, the Internet, Twitter, and through other modes of communication — whatever medium the individual is plugged into at the moment.
It doesn’t take long to get an overload of information, sometimes it is fact-based and sometimes it is not. More frequently it is based on a half-truth and occasionally it is just the wild rantings of someone who is unwilling to accept there can be two sides to an issue, listen to both sides, research the information, and come to a decision.
We are now in the midst of the Christmas season — a season of “good will, peace on earth.” Leading up to the holidays, Americans have been hit hard by disasters — hurricanes and disastrous floods in Texas and Florida, and wildfires in California, which have devoured and destroyed everything in their paths. There are many families this Christmas season who have lost their homes to these natural disasters. Many have lost everything they have worked for. All they have to cling to is their hope in Jesus Christ and in each other. And, some don’t have that.
All of this, and we are a nation that is dealing with one report after another of sexual misconduct of high profile people — from the president, to people in Congress, to TV news anchors.
In our nation’s capital, Congress has forgotten what it is to play nice. Republicans work hard to make Democrats look bad, and vice versa.
How can our president and Congress hope to “Make America Great Again” when they disrespect each other so much. When our president takes to Twitter to put down people and call them names. When the two parties refuse to work together for the good of this country. It doesn’t matter if it is the good I want or the good someone else wants, it needs to be for the good of all in this country.
It is time we speak out against the reckless spending and hidden agendas, dishonesty, and cover-ups. Did you know your tax dollars have been spent to settle sexual harassment claims? Over the past two decades some $17 million in settlements have been paid by the Congressional office that handles workplace complaints, the Office of Compliance. The money for those settlements comes from “an account of the Office in the Treasury on the United States for the payment of awards and settlement,” under the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act.
We have become a nation of hate — it’s blacks versus whites, Christians vs. Muslims. There are protestors on the streets of America everyday, decrying some injustice.
While all this is going on, we are fighting a drug epidemic, deadly shootings which have taken place in our communities with innocent lives being taken.
Yet, we claim to be a Christian nation. It makes us stop and ponder just what being a “Christian” means. Lest we forget, it means being like Christ and loving people, whether they be red, yellow, black or white.
What it is not is Republican, spewing out words of hate, condemning people of other races and nationalities.
I have an idea. Let us put aside discontent and spewings of hate and name-calling when taking political sides. During this Christmas season, let’s put aside our angry words and thoughts. Let’s remember there are many people hurting today, they have no place to call home, no place to lay their head tonight, no stocked pantry, no Christmas tree to light up. Let’s try reaching out to someone today, to offer a smile, a compliment, and helping hand. It used to be called paying it forward.
I like to call it Christmas.