LEAD WITH LOVE?

by Dale Russell

The past couple of weeks have had such an impact on us all. Deep sadness, a whirlwind of questions, and incredibly, glimpses of evil played out from all kinds of sources. On a much smaller level, we at Visions of Hope face the nonsense and creative difficulties played out within the Oregon Dept. of Corrections. But let’s save that for another time. If these weeks have challenged your emotions and convictions, it is a great time to check our reactions and concentrate on what the Lord would require of us.

One of our Uganda team members has been consistent with encouraging messages since that time frame and keeps all of us engaged with his spiritual insights. Yesterday served as a lighthouse of wisdom for anyone in these times. I trust it will remind or inspire you to choose the best road to maneuver through your days ahead.

I pray these words find you in joyful spirits, with hearts filled with gratitude for making it through another week.

This has been an odd and heavy week. Emotions have run high. Thoughts, opinions, and loyalties have pulled at hearts and minds. Lines in the sand have been drawn between friends, foes, and even family.

We live in a time when political opinions are treated as absolutes—so rigid that people will fight, yell, separate, divide, and even kill over them. My own heart has been shaken by the violence we’ve witnessed: Charlie’s murder, continued school shootings, and political ideologies that have fueled attacks on leaders from both the left and the right.

And it makes me stop and ask: how did we drift so far as a nation that what we think has become what destroys us?

One of the most complex and beautiful aspects of being human is our God-given ability to hold two seemingly opposing truths at the same time. I can love someone deeply, respect them as an image-bearer of God, and still not agree with all of their choices. In fact, true love calls me to more than passive acceptance. Love without truth is hollow. Real love carries accountability.

Accountability is not judgment. It is not condemnation. It is not declaring someone hopeless. Accountability is love with boundaries. It is concern rooted in care. It is the kind of love that says, “I see where this road leads, and because I love you, I cannot watch silently.”

Paul reminds us of this balance in Ephesians 4:31-32:

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Paul knew both the pull of anger and the power of grace. His call is not to ignore sin, nor to excuse destruction, but to put away bitterness and choose kindness, forgiveness, and tenderhearted love—the same love Christ showed us.

So here is my challenge: This week, when you encounter division—whether in politics, family, or friendships—pause. Lead with love. Hold fast to truth, but clothe it in grace. Be bold enough to hold others accountable, and humble enough to forgive. Let your words and actions reflect the same mercy that saved you.

Your friend and brother in Christ,

James