Within the the last week In northern Nigeria, the Boko Haram murdered another 100 people adding to the thousands already killed. Recently, ISIS  beheaded 21 Christians on the shores of Libya. They have kidnapped another 220 Christians who possibly are awaiting the same fate. The Ukraine and Russia are heating up once again and many have already died in that conflict and possibly many more will if things do not change it’s trajectory. Iran is racing to become nuclear and leaders are trying to determine if it is for the advancement of utility power or is there a more sinister plot to destroy others with that capability. The brutality and injustice around the world is heartbreaking and the populace of this people planet are calling for leadership that simply cares for their well-being and has their concerns at heart. Knowing that if we treated each other as we would want to be treated – humanity would retrieve sanity and leadership would be respected again.

If we have ever needed an honored filled society it is now! Honor is a value that creates a safe place where people can be free. Honor protects the value that people have for those who are different than they are. The Boko Haram does not honor people who are different in faith than they are.  As an organization they will never thrive and prosper because they abort the potential in everyone they do not agree with. The taking of a human life for difference in religion, philosophy, race, ethnicity, or any other reason, is never justified. To be honest, we should not even hate someone because of these same issues.

Free people cannot live together without honor. As leaders, we are going to have to build people who can handle freedom. Prisons are made for people who can’t handle freedom. Therefore, our leadership methods must mature to address the inside of a person and not simply his behavior. We can talk about and photograph the behaviors and we may come up with temporary solutions to stay the inevitable for a time. However, it must go deeper than that. It is incumbent upon us to create long-term solutions for the ills that are troubling the times. Tackling the ideology that perpetuates the destruction of others must be dealt with. Yes, we can militarily go in and destroy a terrorist organization physically, but if the ideology that promotes such behavior is not dealt with, then eventually we will have to deal with it again.

Regardless if a person is a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or any other religion or political philosophy, the center point of agreement must be the value of human life. It is necessary that leadership of all faiths and political parties set the tone by espousing and being the example in constructing their followers in the self-governing quality of valuing others as themselves. I am longing for the day we can all set down at the table of conversation and settle one thing – regardless of your beliefs, color, and ethnicity, I respect your right to exist along side of me without fear of harm.

We can’t push and force what we believe on another person. I can tie a man’s hands and shackle his feet and dangle him over a fire and force him to accept my way of thinking, but really did I change his heart or did he just say it to stop me from destroying him. So really what did I accomplish? Why not allow people to make up their own minds and then accept their decision without exacting any form of revenge. If you want someone to convert or come to your way of thinking – why not do it like the sun did in the following story.

The wind and the sun were arguing one day over who could get a man’s coat off. The wind blew and blew, but the man just wrapped the coat tighter. That’s exactly how being pushy works. After the wind failed to blow the coat off, the sun simply shone and the man took it off by himself.

Treat others the way you would want to be treated! Someone once said  “Love builds bridges. Fear builds swamps.” Let’s learn to love again and build the bridges hate destroyed.