First published through The Paris News on Jan. 30, 2017. The article can be found on their website at http://theparisnews.com/opinion/article_26ba4408-e708-11e6-92cb-c34370cf7e06.html and was backdated.

When you have someone in a position of power, you shouldn’t expect them to fail. You should try to give them a chance, regardless of the differences in your beliefs and theirs.

Over the past week, I’ve noticed so much negativity toward a particular person in power. Of course, I only vaguely remember how negative things were four years ago because I wasn’t as involved as I feel I should have been. But, I feel like there were more people reacting positively toward the person in power then, than now.

Could it have to do with a community wanting them to fail more than the other?

Let’s just say Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America, failed at abolishing slavery. Imagine how segregated we would be.

Something I’ve personally said for quite some time is “Hope for the best, expect the worse.”

We shouldn’t hope for someone to fail at something; we should hope they succeed for the best. We can expect them to fail, but we shouldn’t hope for it to happen.

It seems the president we have now has more publicity on him because more people want him to fail. However, the one prior to him, I don’t recall much publicity showing his failures in particular. I’m sure there have been plenty.

And, just like I believe in giving our president a chance, I believe in giving the those few trying to come to our country legally a chance.

I disagree with not accepting certain people in. Anyone can be classified as a bad person, regardless of where or how they were raised. The Bible says to love your neighbor.

A couple verses to choose from, because we live in a pick and choose world, are Hebrews 13:2. “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” If this verse seems more selfish than helpful, such as “I’m doing this for my own gain so I can please an angel,” another verse pertaining to this would be Galatians 5:14.

Growing up, I was always taught the Golden Rule. I’m sure quite a few people have been told the Golden Rule is to treat others as we would have them treat ourselves. I didn’t understand how biblical this was until I was a young adult. Galatians 5:14 says “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

I’m no preacher and never will I claim to be one, but I would like to leave you with this quote from Tim McGraw’s song “Humble and Kind.”

“When you get where you’re going, don’t forget, turn back around and help the next one in line. Always stay humble and kind.”