A local church where I live has made “Be the Light” its mantra. At Halloween, they had a lighted display with these words, and then they used the same display during the Christmas season. I was sad to see them take it down because if we need anything, it’s more light.

You could interpret this in a number of ways. We need more lightness and levity in the way we interact with each other, especially those who hold differing opinions. We need to be willing to shine light on difficult situations and seek to understand why others hold fiercely to their positions, instead of believing that the binaries of your way or my way are the only options available. Being the light means we bring kindness, respect, and thoughtful listening into every situation, even those where we believe we already possess all the facts. Light as a way of being in the world makes more sense than striving to be right, especially when our view of “right” is heavily biased without us even knowing it.

I’m hoping that church will put out its “Be the Light” display again. If anything, it gives us something to aspire to, a goal to make connection more important than being “right.”