In the midst of busy lives, often chaotic schedules, and a fraying and raging world that demands our constant attention and loyalty, I am convinced we often miss the most lasting reality in life: love.

Love is the most important legacy you will leave. Love remains. Love never fails.

The progression or regression of who you have become since 2011 is a net result of life experiences and choices you made over the last 3,650 days.

Each one of us has three versions of ourselves: the past, present, and future. Your present self is different from your past self. You have become a different person. Your present self has also not yet become who your future self will be.

To refuse to see the plight of your brothers and sisters is to be robbed of the opportunity to feel your heart thump with the compassion of God. We must resist the impulse to look away.

There is another way. You can rise above. You must figure out how to do it ASAP.

TODAY is the day to begin rising above the chaos and the vitriol that threatens to undo the good work of our institutions.

YOU must lead. You must become the bigger person. You must refuse to be dragged down to despising your attackers. When they go low, you must go high.

Please don’t stop dreaming big dreams, God-sized ones.

But don’t allow the love of your dream to make earth a living hell for everyone else. No dream is so great that it turns a neighbor, a spouse, or even a child into an enemy.

Will Christians stand with Jesus in bringing life to the world, or will we go down with a destructive political machine that is leading our nation to division, disaster, and the death of our great nation?

As a minister, I have often witnessed the families and friends of the dead honor, gush, and even weepingly recall the goodness of their now deceased loved ones. Why do we wait to honor those we love until they are not alive to hear it?