This is one of the strangest times in my life because I vacillate daily between being a gracious listener to others’ opinions and wanting to blast back. So far I haven’t succombed to the latter, but in a time when so many people are speaking up caustically, I am strongly tempted to allow my rising blood pressure to erupt and spew all over the place.
In fact, I made the video above after feeling utterly disgusted by some posts I read recently. It takes all the restraint I have not to go into detail about what they said and what I think about them. But that’s just it – this current tone on social media is pulling me to want to spew. I don’t want to be that kind of person.
Even though I have some STRONG opinions, I’m trying SO HARD to keep them to myself and work on the challenge to strive for unity instead. It’s kind of like how this selfie culture “teaches” our children to take thousands of photos of themselves; in the same way, this social media culture “teaches” people to spew.
Though I may never understand how some people like Trump, I know that division will only harm us now and in the long run. The devil smiles when he sees two Christians claiming Christianity as their home base yet harming each other over differing opinions about Trump, the pandemic, masks, faith, the environment, etc. I have a family member who is full-on QAnon. I have another family member who sent a really mean email to us about how our parenting and beliefs are wrong, implying theirs are right. I have friends from my past who are just about yelling things on Facebook at people who don’t agree with them. I have a friend who was telling me her opinions the other day about how the pandemic is mostly propaganda.
For someone who likes to express her opinions, it’s so hard for me to remain quiet. It takes all the restraint I’ve got. But I know for a fact that the only satisfaction I’d have in spewing my side would take place in that 60-second release. Then I’d feel like I’d done nothing to change anything. I know unity, hope, and peace are the only real changes that need to happen.
This is definitely a challenging time for me and everyone, but if we all decide to love each other more than we love our opinions, how great that would be. It isn’t easy by any means, but necessary. And trust me, I’m speaking this to myself as much as I am to anyone else.
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Romans 14:19
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves…
Philippians 2:3
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:13-14
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-6
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
