On March 4, 1865, with the Civil War nearly over, Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address. Instead of gloating, he spoke of both sides humbly. He said both read the same Bible and prayed to the same God, and each invoked His aid against the other. He added, “let us judge not that we be not judged.” Then came his famous closing: “With malice toward none; with charity for all,” let us strive “to bind up the nation’s wounds.” A witness said the sun broke through the clouds as Lincoln stepped forward. Only weeks later, he was assassinated. Winning is not the goal. Healing is.
