Anne Cooling – Thoughts On The Coming Election

Healing our Nations Wounds
Elections are days away, and many are thinking and praying through the issues that are coming to the forefront of our nation’s thought about itself whether it is the economy, the environment, the role of government, healthcare, global security and the polarization of our United States.
As I have been trying to deal with these issues in my own thought and life, I have been challenging myself to seek a healing response versus a human reaction to the issues at hand. Divisiveness and anger do not produce a mental environment conducive to progress. At a time when our nation needs to come together the most and take the greatest accountability for our actions, we are reeling in destructive criticism and blaming others.
As with any identity crisis, America has the opportunity to grow in grace and strength if we chose to undertake this task. This doesn’t just take a new government policy, a less wasteful Congress, more ethical business practices and a less indebted populace. It takes all of these things if we want to truly find a way to prosperity again. Solving problems and moving forward doesn’t need to abandon the roots of our democracy saying it has failed. It needs to resolve the failing parts of our democracy that is causing it to fail. When companies or causes experience problems, they often start with their original mission and see where they have gone off course and how they need to change their mission to meet the present needs.
So let’s start by looking at the original mission of our democracy by our founding fathers as food for thought as we all think through the problems of today constructively. “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” ––Benjamin Franklin. “I thank God that I have lived to see my country independent and free. She may long enjoy her independence and freedom if she will. It depends on her virtue.” ––Samuel Adams. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” ––John Adams.
Since morality is a sticky subject today, let’s address one immoral behavior we can all agree on, secular and non-secular: dishonesty and stealing based on unethical behavior and then not taking responsibility for it. Are we not seeing this at every level of our society today? Can we not see its damaging effects on our economy and the potential lose of our freedom and democracy? Does this mean we abandon what has made this country great for over 200 years or does it mean that we have a change of thought about who we have become and change our ways? It starts with each of us and also not tolerating as a society these destructive elements when we see them. We the people today have the power to do this and change things. Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures remarks, “Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help. You uncover sin, not in order to injure, but in order to bless the corporeal man; and a right motive has its reward.”
Our mission today needs to help us bridge this gap and protect us from the elements destructive to democracy without losing it altogether. It demands change at every level of society for the better. Not exchanging one problem for another such as a corrupt government instead of corrupt businesses, but focusing our energies on removing the corruption of both. So often when we think of God, we think of Him as One who punishes His creation instead of recognizing Him as a loving saving God from our own undoing. We hurt ourselves; whereas, God is the source of wisdom, understanding and intelligence; care, compassion and unselfish love; support, integrity and creativity; goodness, order and purity. These qualities of thought and action would rebuild and fuel businesses, economies, governments and families, breathing life and healthy energy in decision making and problem solving. We would identify ourselves from the basis of our Creator and look to Him for more unlimited and lasting answers than we could possibly do for ourselves.
Let’s not change for change sake alone. Let’s be inspired to change only what needs changing under divine guidance and protection. Maybe this season of Thanksgiving will help us think through these issue with the gratitude and courage needed to move forward in a positive way.
Anne Cooling