What is redemption and does redemption matter?
Redemption is defined as the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil. Redemption matters to me because I want to live a good life, and I want to make amends for any errors or negative endeavor I've been apart of in life. Plus, when we continue to work in negative, dehumanizing, or hurtful ways, we create a life of trouble--the kind of life that hurts and harms others. To gain redemption is to recycle that negativity into positivity which betters and improves lives.
Most people don't want to end their lives mired in negativity, and redemption is one way to ensure that doesn't happen. I've thought about this a lot recently as I've watched a great number of corrupt politicians commit crimes, spread propaganda, or forward harmful policies and actions that greatly harm individuals' lives as well as the life of our country.
At every turn, people who've erred in one way or another have the chance to redeem themselves or continue their deadly, dangerous paths. For example, clearly candidate Herschel Walker lied a lot and promoted a lot of negativity and harm during his lifetime. Rather than collect seemingly corrupt dollars and agree to represent a dangerous, destructive political group, he could have supported the honest, hard working, experienced Warnock. Instead Walker continued to lie, collect funds from suspect sources, and waste a lot of people's time and capacity as he ran for office. Fortunately he lost the election.
Similarly Kevin McCarthy can earn redemption now by acknowledging his cowardly, greedy support for an errant, corrupt Donald Trump, and rightly support Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker of the House. While that won't dismiss McCarthy's lazy, problematic support for MAGAleaders' January 6th deadly domestic terror insurrection at The Capitol, the spread of The Big Lie, and all the MAGAMania that has cost the country so many lives, dollars, time, and potential, it will be an act that will lead to some redemption in that he'll support a turn in our democracy from the MAGA harm and destruction to a more honest democracy that aims to serve ALL Americans rather than a corrupt, privileged few.
No matter the harmful, negative, misdirected efforts we've been involved in during our lives, we always have the choice to redeem ourselves with positive acts that demonstrate we've learned our lesson and know how to promote the greater good. We all err at times, and we can all learn from those errors, and apply that learning to making amends.
Redemption is what we receive when we turn our errors and problematic behavior into positivity and contribution that betters the lives and experiences of others. We can do this.