The Turn Around!

Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy. When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down. Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet. Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.  The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger. If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs and there is no peace. The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity and seek to kill the upright. Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. Proverbs 29:1-12 NIV

It is time for us to turn our situation around in America. No one should have to lose their life because of hatred, but we know--historically--that if we continue to ignore the obvious, more lives will be lost. We cannot hope to achieve any greatness by hating or promoting hatred. The bigotry that exists in the hearts of those who claim to know God, must be extinguished and never allowed to re-ignite flames of hatred.

For some--turning from their hatred--the seed that has been planted and nourished by ignorance and lies and sprouting and spreading through their lips--the journey to a pathway of seeing truth and admitting wrong will be a long one, but not an impossible. one. In order for a person to receive truth, they must desire truth and remove all the lies so truth will grow. I'm reminded of tending a garden. As long as the weeds are left alone, nothing of any substance will have room to grow. Lies are the weeds in our lives that must be uprooted so there will be room for truth to grow and change minds and hearts. 

If anyone claims no knowledge of what hate can do in a nation, they haven't been paying attention. Bigotry and hatred have existed in this country for centuries and it would appear that since it has not been totally eradicated, we will have to deal with it until it is. Right now, starting with every individual--there must be a concerted effort to eradicate hate and plant seeds of love to turn this situation around!

Bigotry and hatred (and greed) were the impetus for slavery in this country.

Bigotry and hatred were the seeds planted that rose up against efforts for equality between the races and genders in this country.

Bigotry and hatred are bred in the soil of ignorance and insecurity and fear in this country and fertilized by unwillingness to accept truth.

Bigotry and hatred continue to exist when people are close-minded and unwilling to consider they are not always right about anything.

As long as we are resistant to communicating effectively with others, willing to sit down and listen to views that are not like our own and recognize we have a right to disagree, but we should learn to do so, agreeably.

We all have choices to make--right now, in the coming days, and for the rest of our lives. We can choose to live in peace and harmony by loving one another or we can choose to live in chaos and strife, allowing hatred and bigotry to reign and destroy.

I don't know about you, but I choose to love and I have repeatedly stated that we can accomplish all things with love in our hearts, but the only end result of hatred and bigotry is destruction. I will not play a part in the destruction of a nation, but I will do all I can to build and stabilize the nation with love.

Knowing how to love and loving does not mean I have to agree with things that are not right and I won't. Loving means telling people the truth whether they want to hear it or not, and whether they receive it or not. I will not stop speaking truth to power or promoting truth to all who are in my social media communities and everywhere I go. No one has to agree with me; I accept that--but as God reveals clarity of His Word to me--I will promote it, no matter what happens. And our current political climate is weighed down with such hatred and bigotry by those who think they are superior to others that we need to learn how to turn this around. I'm willing and I hope others are, too.

We don't have to wait to 2020 to see a turn around in our nation, we can start now and strengthen our resolve to live in peace and love and in 2020 by choosing to elect a person who is willing to serve for the benefit of all Everyday Americans.