In other words, unity of heart, spirit and love can exist even though we must have differences that will take longer to resolve. We begin with this willingness to know a fellow Christian’s heart and build upon the possibility of fellowship. It does not mean give up our convictions. But we must begin with the hardest and highest call Jesus gave to us—to love one another as He loved us. That is not what we do once we have worked out all our disagreements, our differences or our hurts with one another. Forgiveness itself is born out of obedience to the Savior’s call to love one another.

That is what I wrote in 2009. I stand by it. If you are willing to take my hand and do good with me, come on. If our hearts are one, even if all else is “not yet,” then give me your hand. This is the miracle of Christian community, and I would add, the hope of an angry, hostile and troubled world.

That was Jimmy Carter’s best instinct.

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