You say I support hate and death,

but every day I wake up and pray that love will lead me,

that it would drip from my words,

that it would help me see the divine in everyone I encounter,

that it would crinkle the corners of my eyes with kindness,

that it would be the tenderness in my hands,

that it would ready me to hear to stories of all kinds and make me strong enough to carry them,

that it would break open my heart,

again,

and again,

and again,

until I have been emptied out and only it remains.

Some nights I lay my head on my pillow,

and I know I have failed,

in obvious ways,

in hidden ways,

sometimes in spectacular ways.

But it has never been because I believe

that everyone should have the medical care and mental health support they need,

that our children should not be shot at school,

that families should not be ripped apart at our borders,

that we should be good stewards of the earth we have been given,

that everyone deserves a living wage for a solid day’s work,

that justice should apply to all of us equally, regardless of skin color or gender or wealth,

that black lives matter,

that LGBTQ people should be able to marry and work and find housing and use the restroom, all without fear or discrimination, no matter what city or state they are in,

that investing in education benefits all of us,

that patriarchy hurts both men and women,

that victims should never be mocked,

that taxes are investments in our communities and cities and nation,

that there is no such thing as other people’s children,

that following Jesus does not give me license to devalue or discriminate against anyone.

I’ve searched for the verse that you love to quote,

the one that says God is a registered Republican,

and so shall we all be,

but all I have found is the one that says God is love,

so tomorrow I will wake up and pray that love will lead me,

once again.