O God, Help us to be people of goodwill. Help us genuinely to want what is best for our communities, for our nation, and for our world. Prevent us from wishing ill on anyone. Never let us forget that our Lord taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who despitefully use us—and showed us how.

We are doing the best we can to live out the convictions that arise from our following of your Son. We are doing the best we can to facilitate processes, to advocate policies, and to support candidates that we believe will forward the principles of justice, righteousness, and peace.

Help us to remember that many, and maybe even most, of those who differ with us are also people of goodwill. Give us grace not to assume otherwise about them. And, even when it turns out that an opponent is not a person of goodwill, help us not to respond in kind, but rather with kindness.

Help us all to outdo one another in goodwill.

Help us all to outdo one another in grace.

Help us all to outdo one another in love.

In the name of the One who came to bring goodwill,

Amen.

– Submitted by Michael Ruffin, former pastor and religion professor, now a writer and editor.