It was a suggestion Dr. Kathy Koch made at a Hearts at Home conference that changed my after school question. Instead of asking, “How was your day?” I began to ask, “Who were you today?”
Because our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter live with us, it’s now the question I ask my granddaughter when she gets home from school.
Today is a defining day for our country. This election is one of the most polarizing elections in the history of our country. It’s made social media an unsafe place to be, its divided families, its made work environments challenging. Regardless of where we stand on issues and candidates, our country will have a new president elected tomorrow morning.
At the end of the day, how will you be able to answer the question, “Who were you today?”
4-year-old Marie answers that after school question with, “I was a helper today when my teacher needed help with papers,” or “I encouraged my friend when she went on the monkey bars.” Sometimes she says, “I was a good sharer today and I shared my crayons.”
At the end of today and tomorrow and the day after, what will our answers be? I hope they’re something like these:
“I measured my words and resisted needless arguments on Facebook.”
“I was kind, no matter how those around me were acting.”
“I was grace-giving and allowed others to have different opinions. If it was appropriate to share thoughts and opinions, I did it in a respectful way.”
“I was loving to even the most unkind person I came in contact with.”
“I was a prayer warrior. One who absolutely believes that God is still in control.”
This is the time where we get to not just talk about our faith, but to live it out. To be the hands and feet of Jesus. To give others the chance to watch us and say, “There’s something different about her. I want what she has.”
After you vote, after the election results are in, after our country has established a new leader…who will you be today?
I like that, thank you. Here is the devotional I wrote today for our local praying mom’s group.
Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government (1 Peter 2:13-17 MSG).
Dear God,
Be with us as we head out to vote in our Presidential election. It is a crazy election, without strong leaders to provide unity, faith, and clear, positive direction for our country. But, we know you are ruler over all. We have faith in you, God, that you will guide your believers toward the ultimate kingdom.
We pray for all of our leaders, the person soon to be leading our country as President. We pray for you to watch over our country, to heal our broken land. We pray for you to guide and lead us through these tumultuous times, to protect us from the evils, to provide us with your hope of the kingdom of God.
God, help us to see the opportunities to serve you, to make a difference in our own families, neighborhoods, country and world as we serve with a Christian heart and shine your light.
In the Lord’s name I pray
Love this Lisa!