We live in a day and hour of no conversation — at least no civil discussion. It’s nearly impossible to carry on a reasonable dialogue about any issue close to our hearts because no one wants to listen to the other person.
The constant bickering, bad-mouthing, demeaning and demonizing on a personal level has taught us that it’s okay to hate, fear-monger and divide. It’s true throughout America — in churches, grocery stores, schools, homes, marriages, the workplace, on Main Street and in the heartland. It’s especially true in Washington, which should be one of our role models.
Make no mistake. A once-proud America dangles in the balance between good and evil, truth and lies. Don’t shout just yet — this is a problem that transcends political, ethnic and generational boundaries. These are signs of a time that you can easily find in the Bible. The prophets spoke of it, the gospel writers declared it, and Paul, Peter, John and others predicted it.
Read the first few verses of 2 Timothy 3 or check out Matthew 24 or Mark 13. You don’t even need to attempt to decipher Revelation to know we are in difficult times.
Today more than ever, we seem more eager to…
- Lash out than to listen.
- Scream an opinion rather than hear other voices.
- Tell each other how to live and believe instead of asking about our neighbor’s plight and story.
- Struggle to force someone to understand our message and never learn about their point.
- Seek to explain rather than understand.
- Scream, yell, rant and rave whether we have information or not.
- Tell, not ask.
So what do you do about it? How can you do battle in a battle not meant for you? Where is the answer amid turmoil, chaos and discord?
Sure, we must do and we must take action. But the bigger matter at hand is that we have the discussion. After all, we are Americans. It’s challenging to know the answers, but here are a few thoughts and suggestions. Call them lessons along the journey.
- Do not engage in needless battles. Don’t get sucked into a discussion with people who are not interested in resolution.
- Fight the real battle, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood.
- Have the kitchen table discussion with your family. That’s old-school, but you should start there.
- Recognize you probably won’t change the minds of many people. Don’t raise your blood pressure and anxiety by trying.
- Likewise, don’t egg on those with similar beliefs while they are hurling stones and strife. Silos aren’t the answer.
- Stay away from Facebook and social media on these matters. Trust me. You will not change minds and only leave discouraged and divided.
- If you must engage, ask questions, and listen to the stories. You’ll hear more than you can imagine.
If we aren’t in the last days, we are at least in the final dress rehearsal. These aren’t the water cooler discussions of the ’90s when you could have a civil conversation. The days of Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill are no longer. The days when you could hope to have a civil discussion about issues of the times are few and slim.
Take a step back and take a deep breath. There is discord, strife and chaos all around you, but it does not have to consume you and be in you.