Thankful for Clarity

By Jean-François Millet - The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. 

Earlier this month, I looked back on the night a year ago when it became clear that an unfit, immoral man was about to become president of the United States. I grieved for my country then and I continue to do so today. My feelings about him have not changed. The office did not make him grow up. He is still a narcissist. He is still ignorant and uninformed. He is still the antithesis of Jesus Christ. But despite the darkness that pours out of him, I find reasons to be grateful and to have hope.

I am grateful for the much maligned press because it exposes the president for who he is. I wish that shows like CNN had not given air time to dishonest mouthpieces like Kellyanne Conway who claim that lies are "alternative facts." But I gained respect for the Washington Post and the New York Times and other news organizations that continue to shine a light on the truth whether the president likes it or not. I have been inspired by Dan Rather's wisdom on News and Guts. No matter how bad things get, he has hope for our country.

I am grateful for voices of resistance. It was very powerful to take part in the Women's March and in a few others that followed it. This is what democracy looks like! As a follower of Jesus, I am grateful for the religious resisters who have the courage to say that many Evangelicals are hypocrites, modern day Pharisees all too willing to trade the teachings of Jesus for political power.

I am grateful that there is much more clarity now about where people stand and what they stand for. I used to assume that people shared my values because we grew up together or attended the same church. Those days are gone. Now, I see that many people, even Christians, only care about people who are like them. They live in fear of cultural changes and resent anyone who threatens the status quo or their economic security.

I am grateful that my faith has held firm. Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever. I am convinced that Jesus is able to guard that which I have entrusted to him. I believe that when the time comes, he will separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. He will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.