Regardless of our politics, this week’s quiet yet uplifting inauguration ceremony helped each of our psyches. Just as in the days of the Civil War, we may have differing opinions, very diverse ones at that. Yet a leader who is pledged to be a peacemaker may be just what we need at this time.

This week’s inauguration proceedings also emphasized the power and importance of God in proper leadership. I loved the opening pastor’s reference to God as the “Holy Mystery of Love,” for His overwhelming love of us and His teachings grow our abilities to love unconditionally. Its presence is a mysteriously inscrutable reality. We receive this power to love from HaShem.

God was present in multiple references and speeches throughout the inauguration, not the least of which being the various swearing in Bibles! President Biden’s encouragement to walk in our brother’s and sister’s shoes, if followed, will grow all of us to work together besides our differences, to try to understand the other, to address our various viewpoints with respect. As we see the greater truths, being right will fade in importance, or at least constructive dialogue can help each of us mature in our understandings of proper next steps which take into account differing perspectives.

Focus on God’s purposes for us keeps our priorities straight. We recognize that our common faith in a higher power binds us with those of different political, philosophical, ethnic, and religious leanings. This higher purpose perspective far outweighs differences that can be resolved if only we undertake the interchanges and experiences with love and respect. Even when we are completely opposed to the position of another, our integrity will not be compromised if we seek creative solutions to our differences with HaShem centering our conversations and actions.

I loved that President Biden’s first act as President was to pray. He remembered those who died in the pandemic and in their honor challenged us to become the nation we can be. The entire day’s events and into the evening continued to build on the theme of bringing our nation together, seeking peace.

Conversation leads to understanding. Respectful dialogue leads to change as we each can hear the viewpoint of the other. With love and respect, with a goal of unification, peace, we can again strive to be an even greater nation defined not by our bad actions, but rather, by our quest for good.

Even our greatest leaders are recognizing that left to our own devices, the result is often undesirable. As each leader brought God front and center, not only in prayer, but also, in conversational references, we were each time reminded of a greater power, one so needed at this time in history. Such a blessing to see our leaders understand and prioritize that bigger perspective. We are mere mortals put here to do our best to make the world a better place, and to not forget that good is accomplished through Him.

Perhaps as the Covid vaccine becomes more available, as headlines of chaos calm down, each of us can follow our leaders’ examples and look even more meaningfully to our Creator to guide us to homes, a nation, and someday a world of shalom bayit.

Shabbat shalom.
Diane