But, I’d like to ask another question: “What Happens When Trump Loses?”
I know winning this election won’t be a slam dunk for Kamala Harris and there are all sorts of “what ifs” we could play with: another attempted election coup or even another Insurrection attempt in January.
But…just for a second, let’s stop and consider what we plan to do when Trump loses.
I mean, how will we react? How will we treat those on the losing side?
Will we crow and trumpet and rub it in their faces?
Or will we win gracefully and allow Trump supporters to find some personal dignity in the aftermath?
The reason I ask is that my main concern is for unity in this nation. We’ve experienced so much division over the last few years.
I know, it’s easy to point the finger and blame that divisiveness on a certain political candidate….and I’m not even saying that’s wrong. But, if we have any hope of healing our nation and returning to something that resembles The UNITED States of America, we will have to learn how to let go of “who started it” and move on to “who’s going to forgive first?”
Better yet, I wonder if we can even imagine ourselves letting our anger and our hatred go after this election is over.
Can we be the ones who don’t laugh in the face of our friends and family members who voted for Trump?
Can we resist the urge to share those inevitable humiliating memes that will pop up on our social media feeds mocking Trump supporters?
Can we refrain from repeating our favorite comedians hilarious joke belittling those who voted for him?
Can we make room for those people who supported him at the table after it’s all said and done?
If not, then we will be the ones to blame for the ongoing division in our country.
We will be the ones who facilitate the Us vs Them mentality that keeps us separated from one another.
These divisions cut across our workplaces, our churches and sometimes even our dinner tables.
We can be the reason the division continues, or we can be the reason the healing begins.
It’s really that simple.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to embrace and forgive my friends and family members no matter who they voted for.
I’m ready to start seeing them as human beings who make mistakes the same way I do.
I’m willing to prioritize unity over division, and friendship over partisanship, and family over politics.
There was a time when we were all just “Americans.”
The recent Olympics gave us a taste of that again. Even at times during the recent DNC there were glimmers of hope that we might come together as fellow Americans for the good of our nation, and the sake of our democracy.
But that was short lived, sadly.
Now, we’re back to fighting and demonizing one another.
I can’t help but remember what happened when Nelson Mandela was released from prison and won the election in South Africa. How the White South Africans in power feared that the new administration under Mandela would try to dominate white people the way they had exploited black people.
Surprisingly, Mandela and Bishop Tutu led the way in forgiveness. They held trials where injustice was exposed but without retribution.
They sincerely believed – and put into practice – the notion that true justice was restorative and not retributive.
We can learn a lot from that situation.
So, when Trump loses, I hope we take that opportunity to become Americans again.
When Trump loses, I hope we learn to forgive one another.
When Trump loses, I hope we find a way to give grace to those who need it most.
When Trump loses, I hope we can extend our hands in peace and friendship.
If we don’t, it might be our last chance for healing our nation.
I hope we don’t screw it up.
**
The newest book from Keith Giles, “The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas” is available now on Amazon. Order HERE>
Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has appeared on CNN, USA Today, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.”
He co-hosts The God Squad podcast, and the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast.
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