I looked at election art this week. There were many wonderful graphics. Each was simple, colorful and purposeful but not quite what I wanted to share with you. Then I came across a book while working on another project. It was delightful and powerful and entitled Shades of People. This book expresses a message of diversity and inclusion with 71 photos of children being children. It was written for children but actually seemed to be written by them, written across their pictured faces. This book compared skin to wrapping paper and stated you cannot judge a person by it. This beautiful, child-like comparison  brought clarity to what I wanted to share with you about this election, vote for our children. The image above is the last in this book. This image of children’s hands touching could be the visual of this simple, honest mantra – vote for them!

Angela Davis, longtime political activist and professor, is quoted as saying “art helps us see around the next corner”.  This is the image I hope we will find there with our children still making pledges in playground gravel oblivious to the wrapping paper of race, gender, sexual identity, age, or income, bound to all people and the common good. When it is their turn to set policy and determine what is just, I hope the wrapping paper analogy will still hold true and they will still be joined with all people in community and grace.

Our task now is to vote our conscience and theirs. It is to follow the children now so they are able to lead later. There are many other and very different views that could be around the next corner. We must stand against these for the precious children in our lives. If we are more like them now in innocence, acceptance and respect for all people and vote from these values against discrimination and injustice, they can lead in years to come carrying on what we refused to let slip away.

I pray that we will remember this circle of hands when we vote. I hope we will follow the clear message of Jesus to be more like our children to whom God’s kingdom belongs. Let’s live the gospel now. Let’s vote for them. Amen.

In hope and faith,

Sandy Prouty

Minister of Children and Families

Montview Church