Courage
We have recently experienced a national tragedy in the assassination of Charlie Kirk. There is no doubt that this was politically driven and that it was evil. Never before has the American public had such detailed and graphic access to a cold blooded murder.
We have seen mourning by those who knew, loved or supported Charlie. We have also witnessed inappropriate celebratory responses by some who did not approve of Charlie’s political views.
The question is: how will our country respond to this dark and inhumane event? We can choose to point fingers and blame, or we can roll up our sleeves and get to work. It begins with repairing broken relationships that are in dire need of improved communication and also the ability for individuals to listen to one another, especially when we disagree.
It takes courage to take a stand to talk, and it takes courage to respectfully listen. It takes self-control to allow others to disagree with your views without spewing vile judgement. It takes brave men and women to stand up for what they believe and demonstrate their values with actions. This begins with the God-given right to life for each of us.
Charlie was a man of faith. I will exercise my faith and pray for his young widow and precious children. I will not allow my anger over this to drive me to an emotional reaction. Instead, I will work to be more courageous by choosing to listen, sharing my values and growing my ability to participate in difficult conversations. I will lead with respect and a determination to live out my faith and what I know to be true.
My daughter, Ren, and I recorded a podcast a few years ago about how to have an open, honest, and hopefully helpful conversation about politics. I want to reshare it here, take a listen.
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When we are courageous enough to act out of our values instead of our fears, we will make a difference.
Larry
Check out our latest episode of the RelationShifts Podcast:
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