Read Time: 4 min 50 sec | Reading Level: 7th Grade

POLITICS

Trump’s Second Day 1

At noon EST on Monday, Donald Trump became America’s 47th president inside the Capital Rotunda (see photos of the day).

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, swore in the President. Then, President Trump gave a 30-minute inaugural address that promised to usher in a “golden age of America.” He said the U.S. has “suffered greatly” under the Biden administration and promised a “proud, prosperous, and free” future. 

Within minutes of the ceremony, President Trump was down to business. With a bunch of executive orders and other actions, he… 

• Declared a national emergency at the southern border, classified drug cartels as global terrorists, and ordered the end of automatic citizenship for anyone born in the U.S. (called “birthright citizenship”);

• Left the Paris Climate Accord (for the second time) and declared a national energy emergency so that it’s easier to develop energy sources in America;

• Pardoned nearly all January 6 defendants (roughly 1,500 people), meaning their punishments are canceled;

• Renamed the Gulf of Mexico (now “Gulf of America”) and Mount Denali (“Mount McKinley” once again);

• Ended Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government;

• Delayed the ban on TikTok for 75 days so his administration could review the national security concerns and TikTok could have more time to make a deal.

Many of these actions are controversial. Already, 22 Democratic-led states have filed lawsuits saying birthright citizenship is a right guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. 

What’s next at the White House? Trump announced that new tariffs—taxes that other countries pay when they sell products to Americans—may come on February 1; #47 said he’d consider 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10% on trade with China. 

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
Followers of Christ are not identified by their political affiliation but by their love for God and others. Remember compassion for your neighbors, whether they’re celebrating, mourning, or indifferent to Washington’s busy week.

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (CSB) (read full passage)

How can I model loving an enemy when discussing this story?
Responding graciously to people with different opinions.

A new administration’s new priorities can stir up disagreement. Your kids may have no opinions about birthright citizenship, but they have lots of (often loud and confident) opinions on other things that matter to them. Model respect for those with different viewpoints—even when you find those viewpoints to be disrespectful or unloving.

Remember the Golden Rule: “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them” (Luke 6:31 CSB). It’s one of the most fundamental principles of loving others—enemy or otherwise—and one of the hardest to live out.

What response to this story do I want to model for my children?
Aligning your family’s schedules with your priorities.

Whether you agree or disagree with the President’s actions, his Day 1 orders are a clear reflection of the priorities of his administration. If an outsider looked in on your family’s weekly schedule and to-do list, what would they deduce about your values? Are there areas where your routines and the things you want your family to be about are telling a different story?

• Chart out how you spend your time in a normal week for a January pulse check. Print out a blank calendar of the week, grab some colors, and fill in the days with your activities. Then, talk as a family about whether your schedule reflects the things that are most important to you (for example, hospitality, generosity, growth, health, marriage, service, etc.).
   

• Memorize the Golden Rule, “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them” (Luke 6:31 CSB).
   

• Pray for the new administration: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4 CSB).

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Who doesn’t love an excuse for chocolate and words of affirmation? 

But beneath the hearts and roses of Valentine’s Day lies a story of faith and courage.

Valentine, a bold evangelist, defied a Roman emperor’s decree that banned young men from marrying. (The emperor wanted them focused on military duty.) Secretly officiating weddings, Valentine was eventually caught and brought before the emperor—where he boldly shared the gospel.

The full-color storybook Valentine: God’s Courageous Evangelist will inspire your kids with the true story of Valentine’s unwavering faith. 

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