One is the loneliest number…

Tuesday September 27th, Philippians 2: 1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. We are moving into the election season. As I am pondering what to write, I also take a break and look at news articles. The following just popped up: (AP) COLUMBUS, Ohio — After years of expanding when and how people can vote, state legislatures now under new Republican control are moving to trim early voting days, beef up identification requirements and put new restrictions on how voters are notified about absentee ballots. As we reflect on this text during this political season, we need first be reminded that being likeminded does not mean agreeing on everything. It does mean that the love of God grounds you and connects you to one another so the question is never about “me” but about “us.” Doing what you can to limit the “us” is never about Democracy. If the behavior were on the playground it would be called being a bully. When we focus on what is best for “us” then we start to get at what is best for “me.” When you only focus on the “me” you never get to the “us.” And as the old song goes, One is the loneliest number…