Reflections On Leadership: A Call For Unity And Faith In Challenging Times

We're just days away from the presidential election, and most polls indicate it will be a nailbiter. These are nervous times for many people, especially those who fear how they would be treated under a second Trump administration, one less beholden to norms and laws and the adults who were supposedly in the room the first time around. Although I share this unease, I am hopeful that Americans will choose the right path forward. In particular, I pray that Christians will invite God into our hearts as we select our nation's leaders next month. This will require a courageous realignment for some of my fellow evangelicals who I feel may have been led astray by the MAGA movement.

But to admit error is not weakness. To reclaim our values is to find strength. As someone who enjoyed the privilege of growing up around the revered minister Dr. Billy Graham—or as we grandchildren knew him, "Daddy Bill"—I recognize very little in former President Donald Trump of the Christian faith that has inspired my life. Both men have stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, but I fear this may be the only characteristic they share.

For example, one of my grandfather's favorite Bible verses was Micah 6:8, which requires us to love kindness and mercy and to walk humbly. For Trump, however, his notoriety and wealth fuels his ego. While he puts on a façade of religion, he rejects the fundamentals of Christianity. We have seen the ways he treats those who are marginalized, women, and anyone who disagrees with him. Yet, Jesus has told us that "...people will know we are disciples by your love" (John 13:35). Furthermore, he himself has admitted that he does not ask for forgiveness from anyone.

Trump's words and actions are fundamentally incompatible with evangelical principles. Contrary to some who claim he has been anointed by God to lead, Trump cannot return the U.S. to faithfulness. Sadly, by embracing such a megalomaniac, Christians have been turning away those who are curious about the Lord. We lose credibility when we say God is love, but then rally, and sometimes even riot, in support of an individual whose entire worldview centers on himself.

Looking at my grandfather's legacy, it's clear that his values centered firmly in unity, justice, and compassion. Billy Graham joined with Martin Luther King, Jr. and others in the fight for civil rights. He held the first large mixed-race event in then-segregated South Africa and proclaimed that "apartheid is a sin." He would certainly condemn efforts to dehumanize the hardworking Haitian immigrants who are revitalizing towns like Springfield, Ohio.

Billy Graham preached behind the Iron Curtain and prayed for an end to the Cold War. I don't think he would recommend that the United States appease the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who desperately wants to reestablish satellite states under his authoritarian yoke. Billy Graham recognized the dangers of authoritarianism, whether it was Mao Zedong in China or the leaders behind the Iron Curtain. He was a proponent of justice and freedom, values that stand in stark contrast to Trump's authoritarian tendencies and coziness with autocrats like Putin.

In Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, I see a commitment to service and a future built on unity and hope—values that were deeply important to my grandfather. Trump's divisive rhetoric and pursuit of personal power, on the other hand, undermine the love and humility that the Gospel calls us to embody. For Harris, assuming the Oval Office isn't about prestige or avoiding criminal prosecution—it's an opportunity to serve. Trump, on the other hand, spews apocalyptic nonsense that serves only to demonize others and divide America.

My public endorsement of the Harris/Walz ticket isn't about identifying with a political party. Instead, I prefer my grandfather's approach of looking for the best on all sides, in pursuit of the common good. Through his lifetime, he endorsed Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and valued his relationships with the Reagan and Bush families, but he also considered Lyndon B. Johnson a dear friend and prayed with Barack Obama.

As he said in 1981 to TIME, critiquing his own occasional failings, "Evangelists cannot be closely identified with any particular party or person. We have to stand in the middle to preach to all people, right and left. I haven't been faithful to my own advice in the past. I will be in the future."

My grandfather held himself to a high standard, acknowledged when he fell short, and had the fortitude to keep trying to walk in the footsteps of Jesus—a feat we Christians attempt but all humans inevitably fail. I wish I were as brave. His last major initiative was entitled "My Hope America." As he felt his own death nearing, he wanted to point the way to salvation for all. Well, here is my hope, America. I hope we can regain our equilibrium and our respect for each other. In the coming days, we must love each other, even in light of our differences. And we must select leaders, whatever their color or heritage or religion or party, who have God's love in their hearts.

Jerushah Duford is a licensed therapist serving children, couples, and families. She is the granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham.

The views expressed in this article