Loyalty has always been at the top of my interpersonal value system. The less I see of it these days, the higher the premium.

If a friend does not stand by you, undergird you, cover you and comfort you when a storm comes, that person was never a friend.

And I don’t mean whispers of support accompanied by public silence. Let your statements in defense be as loud as your brag was when you viewed the association as beneficial.

Most people think the value in adversity is that you gain strength as you come out. True. But the other equally invaluable gain is revelation. Nothing shows you who’s who and what’s what like fire.

Be clear. A lot of those self-proclaimed #rideordie folks really just want to ride. They have no intention of suffering anything for your sake—not public image, criticism, risk of career, advancement, money—so they surely ain’t gon die for ya.

Yes, #CancelCulture is a wild unruly beast —felling giants and killing in days what took decades to build. But the only reason it succeeds is because those who would otherwise take a principled stand for a friend won’t dare do it for fear of becoming a target.

The spirit of #fear is not from God. That cat that has your tongue is the devil, friend.

People are always quick to quote Dr. King about the silence of our friends when it comes to civil rights and those in power. But have you read the quote to yourself in a mirror and considered your own ways?

Silence is betrayal.

Love is the only law. It is not a noun. It is a verb. You show love by what you do. And those who show love fearlessly should be lauded for it, not hated.

Praying tonight we all either find our way back to love or perhaps learn of its immutability, excellence and power for the first time. Blessings, Fam. #motime