Each day finds a new way for people to divide themselves from each other and it seems to be contagious. Celebrating our differences gave way to the demand for safe zones to separate from those who are different. Physical separation has led to greater ideological separation. People who once dedicated their lives to peacefully uniting those with differences have succumbed to denying the legitimacy of an election to name a new President. People are giving up on unity if it means anything other than their personally desired outcome.
Millions of people are losing faith and hope if what THEY want doesn’t come to fruition. This used to be called selfishness, spoiled rotten or immature. Participation trophies fueled an unhealthy esteem that has gone unchecked. But, there IS a simple cure that will heal our nation immediately. Paul wrote the script in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Unity helps a company achieve a desired goal. Unity helps a sports team win a championship. Unity keeps a marriage together and can guide a nation to greatness. Unity is essential to peace and harmony but not always necessary for prosperity. Prosperity can be achieved through selfish ambition and vain conceit. The problem may be that prosperity and not unity is the desired goal in 2017.
Unity can only be achieved when others are treated with respect and dignity. Common courtesy can be a human characteristic but humility and considering others before yourself is more divine. So, maybe the root of the issue lies in our union with Christ; or lack of.
Christians like to read in Galatians where Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Are these words exemplified in today’s headlines? “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:…hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;” Galatians 5 19-20. That sounds more like the evening news.
So, if ANY American identifies themselves as a “Christian” and exhibits the behavior identified with the “sinful nature”, is the Holy Spirit living in them or the Evil spirit? Granted, we all fall short and need God’s mercy. Everyone has periods of anger and dissatisfaction, but what do the Cliff Notes say about the heart, soul and attitude of our nation and it’s people?
Getting back to ‘considering others as better than yourself’, how often do you do that? Paul said to humbly consider others as better than yourself. Who do you consider better than yourself? Just for fun, make a list and see how long it takes. Forget the people you don’t know, confine the list to your known universe. Include movie stars, sports figures, politicians, friends that disappoint you, enemies that wound you, the loud obnoxious kids in the theater, the sibling that hasn’t spoken to you in 2 years and the divorced parent that left you alone as a teenager. Now, make a list from those same people that you DON’T consider better than yourself. Compare the two lists. What’s that tell you?
It’s so hard not to condemn and judge the actions and words we see and hear these days. People are spouting so much anger and hatred, not to mention apathy, conceit and dissension. To consider someone else as “better than”, “superior to” or “more important than yourself” can be a stretch for yourself, much less some of the folks who made your naughty list. James 2:13 reminds us, “…Mercy triumphs over judgement.” Mercy doesn’t come very naturally. We have to rely on the divine to show and teach us such qualities. And, by the way, why do you want to show mercy to those who don’t show mercy to you or others?
I can extend the questions forever and make a point that no one wants made. If we are going to heal as a nation and a world, we must be united by a divinely inspired love for each other despite our differences. The love and unity I’m talking about can only come about when we think of and consider others as BETTER than ourselves. Put simply, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement..” Romans 12:3. The world is flat out drunk on themselves. We need to sober up!
Some people have more intelligence, more money, more common sense, more everything…but that shouldn’t lead to more judgement and less mercy. There are no such things as “deplorables”. There is no such thing as an illegitimate President who was elected by the rule of law. The only way to consider others as better than yourself is to take the same attitude Christ did and nothing short of that. “And being found in the appearance of a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Phil. 2:8. Humble yourself by considering those with different opinions and different mindsets as better than, superior to and more important than yourself.
If we don’t examine ourselves and look each other in the eyes to remind each other and rebuke each other if need be, then there is little hope for our nation. We need to keep faith in each other and in our God. Everything else may go away, but never doubt this… “And these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1st Cor. 13:13
Your faith in others may dwindle and your hope for lasting change may wane, but we can still love the dickens out of each other. Pick up your list and love ALL those folks. Do your part to unite and not divide. Start by loving and considering others as BETTER than the person in the mirror.