Words We Speak

The words we speak are incredibly powerful.

As I look across the past year and as I scroll through my social media feeds, I feel a massive chasm has opened in our country.  On each side people are shouting, desperate to be heard.  And even more desperate to drown out those the disagree with.

We hurl insults disguised as meme’s, we say things online we’d never say in a group setting and all the while, we ignore our brothers and sisters, our neighbors and coworkers, our friends and family who lie at the bottom of this chasm.  They have been wounded, hurt and alienated by the words we’ve spoken, agreed with, or not spoken against.

And instead of building bridges, we’re shouting at those on the other side.

Instead of reaching down and grasping the hands of those who’ve fallen or been trampled, we’re holding our signs in protest.

We’ve forgotten the power of the words we speak.

We’ve forgotten that we the people make this country great.  We the people carry the weight of our decisions.  We the people are responsible for where our country is and we the people are responsible for its healing.

It’s not someone else’s job.  It’s you and I.

You and I ignoring the vitriol and salacious comments, responding in love when we’re attacked or insulted.  It’s you and I extending the love of Christ when we’re trampled and stepped on.

It’s you and I.

We the people.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Unity, justice, tranquility, defense, general well-being and the blessings of liberty.

We the people.