there is still work to be done in the kingdom.

No words I put here will be the right ones. I do not have the answers. I do not know it all. I do not claim to even have an inkling of what is the fully right answer or fully wrong answer for our nation, for our world, at the present moment. That is a disclaimer I am putting forth now. Simply, I am sharing my opinion. Which is just that, an opinion. A wise woman told me that one way she looks at things is that she has her opinions and she believes them to be right; yet she could always be wrong. Is that not the human condition though? We all have the ability to be wrong.

I am looking at this election season, and now presidential results through a different lens by viewing it as a seminary student. My mindset is constantly on looking at it from the faith perspective. That is the amusing part of seminary that no one warned me of. Seminary makes you question everything about faith. I mean EVERYTHING. It's empowering though. Seminary is making me not only check my theological beliefs, but my moral values as a human being. Why do I believe what I do? In fact, the first question I am finding myself answer is: What the heck is it that I actually believe??

I am in the midst of answering that first question right now. Filling in those blanks of where I stand theologically with Scripture, and how that unfolds socially, politically, and in my day to day life. There is no rush for me to answer these questions. Simply, I am trying to bask in the experience and learn about myself as a child of God, and my fellow (ALL MY FELLOW) brothers and sisters of Christ as the children of God they are.

Therefore, am I happy with the results of the elections? No. Would I have been happy if the tides had turned and we were celebrating our first female president of the United States? No. I knew going into this election that no matter the polling results, I would not be satisfied with the election results.

Why?


Well, because there is still work to be done in the kingdom. Even though Trump won, there is still work to be done in the kingdom. I still passed two homeless people standing on the side of the road asking for money on my way into work this morning. I still have parish sitting in the Arendale State Prison that are hurting because they want to go home. They mourn lost time sitting behind bars. They long to begin again.

On Monday, I had a particular conversation with a woman about her hope for the future. The master narrative of the penal system was telling her that her future was over. She asked me if that was true. She had found Christ in prison. Her world had been changed because she hit a literal rock bottom and wanted to have a different future. Her steps are attempting that. Yet, she feared not being able to begin again. With big eyes she asked me if her past forever defined her. My answer - honey absolutely not. Your hope resides in Christ. Through Christ, hard work, and some help you can begin again. 

There is still work to be done in the kingdom my friends. Now that the results are in, there is still work to be done in the kingdom. There are still people in prison, there are still poor people, there are still broken people. Get out there and get to work. Do not place all your trust in a human being or human constructed system. Put your trust in God and Christ and get to work.

Hillary Clinton delivered a beautiful concession speech. She called for us to accept what is and move forward. She said that there was still work to be done. As she quoted from Scripture, we do not lose hope those of us that persevere in faith. It is why I wept while she spoke.

Go do something. There is still hurt out there. I stand with those that hurt. No matter how that might look. Go stand with people. Less we continue to stand against one another. If we do that, then hope in the future is not as bright. Yet what we do with these election results will define our future. Trump will be president. Deal with those facts and move forward. What good can still be done? What good is within your power? We cannot control anyone else but ourselves. So what will you do with it?

I'm going to keep working at defining my faith. I'm going to keep working at loving other people, no matter our difference of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, nationality or political affiliation. I pray for soon to be President Donald Trump. I pray we give him a chance to surprise us all. I pray we unite as one nation, one body of Christ and fight towards the rights of all. I pray for Hillary Clinton. I pray for everyone. I pray.

Those are the musing of this church mouse on the day after the 2016 presidential election.