Love Better

I just want to live in a world where men value women and women value men, where they don’t say demeaning things to each other and don’t look at each other in condescending or over sexualized ways, where no one takes advantage of ANYONE, but HONOR prevails. A world in which we recognize that our differences make us better, not inferior. I want to live in a world that empowering women doesn’t devalue men or imply that all men are scum and that men are only out to harm women. I want to live in a world where I can be FOR women and FOR men, for Black lives, alien lives, and Blue lives. I don’t want to be whistled at when I walk to my mailbox, but I don’t want every waitress in a restaurant to think my 77 year old daddy is harassing them when he calls them Sugar. I want to live in a world where people speak truth and don’t make up nonsense. I want to live in a world where people don’t try to cover themselves when they have done the wrong thing but realize that freedom only comes in saying, “I was wrong, I shouldn’t have done that and I’m sorry.” I want to live in a world where EVERY PERSON, regardless of gender or color is responsible for THEIR ACTIONS and manages those actions WELL. I want to live in a world where my two daughters don’t have to be afraid to say NO or use their voice when someone has made them uncomfortable or crossed a line with their actions. I also want to live in a world that my four sons don’t have to be afraid that any dumb thing they ever said or did could be blown so out of proportion that it could affect them 30 years later, because GOD KNOWS that as a female, I did my fair share of dumb things. I definitely realize that only by the grace of God I am NOT who I was 30 years ago, or 10 years ago or last year and that repentance and forgiveness go a long way in forging a future for ourselves and those we’ve caused harm. I want to live in a world where EVERYONE, regardless of color or gender knows that same grace, that every human being is VALUED. I want to live in a world where women ARE empowered and valued, where minorities ARE empowered and valued but at the same time that my sons, MEN, white men, ARE NOT stripped of dignity and integrity and that they don’t have to live in a world where anything said about them means that they are guilty until proven innocent. I want to live in a world where we believe the best about each other, encourage each other, love each other when we are wrong, pick each other up when we have fallen, lavish grace upon each other and allow the Lord to take our brokenness and make something beautiful. I want to LOVE better…can we just all agree to love each other better?