The Thread We Weave: Love One Another

“In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue the afflicted; let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.” (Psalm 10:2)

Stories are inherently defined by conflict. This battle can be one of ideologies or wills, a physical assault, or a game of shadow threats looming in the background. Most great stories are a tale as old as time – the pursuit of good by the works of evil. You can’t weave the thread of a convincing narrative without some form of conflict, whether it’s heroes versus villains, society versus the individual, etc.

It’s in our nature to root for the triumph of the protagonist. We watch Indiana Jones because we want to see the Nazis fail and our favorite archaeologist prevail. Audiences cheer for Batman because they’re there to see the Dark Knight wallop the Joker or the Riddler or Bane. We ooh and ah at every close shave in the Jurassic franchise, urging our heroes to escape the dinosaurs as we crave the comeuppance of the villains.

But what happens when there’s no clear hero? Who do you trust when everyone radiates pride, arrogance, mischief, thievery, lies, and hatred? How can you be at ease when the whole world has gone crazy and you’re just scraping by? What do we do when we can’t fight the rising tide?

That’s the thought that’s been on my mind for some time now. Turn on a news report (any channel) and you’ll be treated to nothing but spin and outrageous claims from the media, from Democrats, from Republicans, from the activists, celebrities, and corporations in between. It’s maddening and no one would blame you for wanting to live under a rock or in an isolated cabin.

I don’t talk politics. I am not a political person (though I do have positions). I believe that it is inherently a corrupted system that is most often serviceable rather than being capable of great good. Truthfully, I think the most that gets accomplished is hot air and inflated egos. But I am not an anarchist either, so don’t mistake this as some weird manifesto!

Why am I even writing this post if that’s how I feel? Because cooler heads need to say something about what’s going on in this country. It’s difficult to keep abreast of current events without being made aware of how turbulent the talking heads on the tube make everything seem. You’d think we were on the verge of Civil War the way some speak.

Maybe we are, but it won’t be because your average American citizen wants to fight their brother and sister. It’ll be because the pundits who can’t let well enough alone are transfixed by the need to be petty, spiteful, and self-righteous. Their rallying cries speak to a mindset that cannot conceive of a contented life. There’s always some new cause to fight for.

At what cost? A divided country. Hateful rhetoric. Dehumanization of the so-called enemy. It serves no purpose but the whims of evil, of the devil, of sin and sinfulness. It glorifies no one, but reveals us humans to be what we are and always have been: vindictive, wrathful, loathsome, uncompromising, and self-serving wretches.

“All have turned away; all alike have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 53:3)

I am a sinner. You are a sinner. Furthermore, I am a human being. You are a human being. Please remember this. Please engage others with this knowledge. When you’re tweeting at someone, you are speaking to another person. They are not usually a faceless, mindless robot (though they may act like one). When you’re harassing someone on the road, know that said person was born the same as you were into this crazy thing we’re all living.

Most of us are not monsters. We are people. Can we please, in this discourse, acknowledge that truth, and be charitable to one another? Can we not escalate tensions over perceived slights, mistaken rhetoric, and otherwise inconsequential events? Can we behave rationally, functionally, with a twinge of moderation in our efforts?

I don’t know that we can. But we should at least try and not be the same people we were as children, running across the playground, shouting K-I-S-S-I-N-G at any one who will listen. Our civilizations are built on a fragile alliance of hopes, dreams, and the backbone of the human spirit.

The foundations aren’t sturdy, but they don’t have to crumble because we can’t get along. I know this is going to fall on a lot of deaf ears. It always does because people always want to go their own way, come hell or high water. We’ve been doing it since Eden and it’s never worked out well, but we keep trying.

So, you who would read this, if you take nothing else from this post, listen to the words of Him who saved my life and my soul:

“This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

Thanks and praise be to Him. Whether you agree with all this or not, I’m glad you spared the time to read this. It’s my hope that we can all be a bit more cordial to each other in the future. There’ll come a day when that’s a guarantee, but this is for the meantime. God bless and have a wonderful weekend.