This morning, Thursday, June 3rd, I was invited to give a prayer to open the session for the New Hampshire State Senate. While I have been to Concord many times, I have never been in the state capital before. I was greeted by the Communications Director for the State Senate and she gave me a brief tour of the building. I saw the Governor’s office and where he holds press conferences and executive meetings. I saw where Presidential candidates come every 4 years to meet with state legislators. I saw hallways filled with prior governor’s portraits and even saw one of an individual that hung for years without anyone knowing who it was!
As I walked the halls and met people from all walks of life, I was filled with a sense of wonder and a bit of awe. Not because of the “great” people who walked in those halls and stood in those rooms before me, but rather because of what those people hoped to accomplish and, perhaps more importantly, who they were hoping to accomplish it for.
Politics has become a zero-sum game. There is a winner and a loser. If I lose one vote, I will make certain that your idea doesn’t succeed so that I can win the next vote. You can see the problem with this. Nothing is ever accomplished because we are more concerned about winning and losing then actually solving a problem. We all suffer and no one “wins.”
With all those thoughts swirling through my mind and many of the ones I had before I even stepped foot in the building, here is the prayer I crafted and prayed for the people of the New Hampshire State Senate.
Creator and sustainer of all,
Thank you for all who have gathered here today to serve the people of New Hampshire. May we remember that you have imbued humanity with a diversity of people that come in all shapes, sizes, colors, orientations and ideas. Through experience, we know when any group of people come together, conflict and distrust may arise. We ask that you guide the people in the New Hampshire State Senate to listen better than they speak. Encourage them to be open to new ideas and perspectives, understanding that their own experience is one of many and not one individual experience makes the rule. Gift them with empathy and compassion and with boldness and decisiveness. May their conversations be based on love so that all people may benefit from their decisions and realize the inherent worth that you have given to them.
Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Tim
