Give us leaders with loftier principles than mere self-interest.
Give us leaders who speak the language of truth
in lieu of lies, evasion and verbal violence.
We need those courageous few whose positions
match their private opinions,
at the risk of upsetting others in their tribe.
Give us leaders with a sense of proportion,
who can distinguish matters of consequence
from petty victories and know when
to compromise for the highest good.
Give us leaders who model what we teach our children:
love rather than hate,
respect instead of contempt,
empathy more than blame,
taking turns, not hoarding all power,
fair play, not circumventing the law,
and the self-evident truth that all we
humans share equally in our humanity.
Deliver me from apathy and the despair of the cynic.
Am I doing for my nation what is mine to do?
Teach me to see the Other as God's image-bearer.
For are we all not made for love?
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