The date was October 6, 1774. John Wesley, theologian and the father of the Methodist movement, wrote these words of instruction in his journal before the British Parliamentary elections. He said he had advised his friends:
1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy.
2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against.
3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.
I'm writing this on Election Day, November 8. Since I lost my crystal ball and I've had no special message from God about the outcome, I have no idea who will emerge tomorrow as our president. But I do know certain things about tomorrow, November 9.
1. The sun will come up. Morning will break like the first morning. The birds will speak like the first bird.
2. This country called America will move forward as the republic that it is. Number 2 will be the hardest for us as humans as we face the results of the election. And sadly, we will likely continue to argue with our friends about the shortcomings of those who have run their races.
But we will go on.
"O beautiful, for pilgrim feet whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness...
For heroes proved in liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life!..."
America. God shed his grace on thee...from sea to shining sea. She may be flawed because She is made up of millions of flawed people.
But dear God...how I do love this place!