Sidewalk Chalk

Brace yourself. It’s about to happen again. Mid-term elections are just around the corner. (cue song… “It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Chaos…)

The ads have started. The rhetoric has begun. Soon neighbors who have finally called a ceasefire will be up in arms again.

The “Neighborhood App” will be filled with posts of stolen political yard signs and endless replies and comments worthy of a Lifetime made-for-tv movie.

I remember when this last happened. Our last major election.

I had just witnessed “full grown men” whom I knew personally, all in full-time ministry positions, posting on Facebook flat out vitriol and venom about whoever they considered “the other side.” Pastors, heads of international ministries, and seminary graduates I knew just seemed to need an enemy to attack, to call names. And they wanted it to hurt… badly.

After reading one too many, I just felt dirty. I felt sick to my stomach.

Then I went for a walk.

To my surprise, some kids on our block had written encouraging notes with sidewalk chalk throughout the neighborhood. It did not matter to them what political sign was in the yard.

As I walked from house to house, I read colorful notes of…

• I Love Your Yard.

• I Hope You Have a Good Week!

• I Love Your Decorations.

• I Love Your Trees.

As I returned to my front porch, I pondered whose example to follow.

I think I will go buy some sidewalk chalk. I hope you will consider joining me.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14)

May we never grow up to be “full grown men.”