On Being a Gracious Winner and Reconcilliation

     When I was little and learning to play Candy Land, Uno, and Go Fish I would get very excited when I won.  I would laugh and squeal and clap my hands.  So my mother pulled me aside and said, "Honey, you are playing with your friends.  How do you think it feels for them when you act like this when you win?"  The answer of course was that it makes them feel bad.  So, I learned to say, "Nice game" and shake hands and be a gracious winner.

     Now, I have been very careful to try not to take political sides during this campaign, because of my 319 "friends" and family on Facebook they are almost 50/50 liberal and conservative.  I try to be sensitive so that I will not hurt the feelings of those I care about.  Last night showed that our country is divided about the same.  The popular vote was almost exactly 50/50.  Our nation has never been so divided.

     President Obama in his acceptance speech last night showed that his mother (or whomever taught him how to play well with others) taught him how to be a gracious winner.  He complemented Romney on a good race.  He talked about working together and reconciliation.  So I went to Facebook this morning hopeful.  Unfortunately, not everyone listened to Obama's speech...

     I was actually very surprised at where the mean and hateful stuff was coming from.  My conservative family and friends were quietly reflective.  They talked about all things working out for good for those who love the Lord, and God wiping away their tears.  But I was saddened and discouraged by many of my more liberal family and friends.  (Those of you who are being good winners about this, I am sorry.  I am not talking to you, but you should be as embarrassed by your colleagues as I am!)  My feed was filled with pictures of Big Bird, comments about freeing binders full of women, and mean, snarky comments like "Ding Dong, the witch is dead."  I don't think this is what is going to bring about reconciliation to our divided nation.

     What worries me is not that they are being really poor winners, but that the comments infer that because they disagree the other side must be either stupid or evil.  As I said in a Facebook post yesterday, these are your brothers and sister.  They disagree with you politically, that doesn't make them evil.  Name calling and gloating is not the way to reconcile with someone you disagree with.  Neither is (as one of my liberal friends suggested this morning) dividing the country down the middle and letting the two parties become two countries and go their separate ways.

     Now, I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, but if we really want to heal our nation, we need to remember a couple of things.  The second greatest commandment is "to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."  When asked, Jesus told a story saying that showed a Samaritan, a hated person of a different race, culture, and political view was the neighbor Jesus was talking about.  We are called to love our neighbor. 

     If you really truly see the opposing party as the enemy and evil, here is a word for you.  Luke 6:27ff  But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

     There needs to be some loving, doing good, blessing, and praying on both sides of this fight this morning.  We are still one Nation under God.  We need to forgive, and try to accept each other in spite of our differences if our country is going to begin to move forward again.  I am basically a peacemaker at heart, and I will be praying for all of my family and friends both conservative and liberal to find a peaceful path TOGETHER.

Grace and Peace...