Day 2366 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.
Proverbs 15:1 NIV
I've been thinking a lot this past week about being more joyful. And we've talked about it a bit in a post or two recently. But it seems like being happy is getting harder and harder to do. It's like we're surrounded by this cloud of negativity and it can feel almost impossible to find our way out of it. It makes matters even worse when we become distracted by all the nonsense around us and allow it to slink in and start bringing us down.
There is this great divide in our world. And it's growing wider and deeper all the time. I know you've seen it. We all see it. It's this idea that we have to let the world know our opinions about everything so that we can show we're on what has been deemed the right side of whatever foolish argument we're caught up in. We can't just stay quiet. We can't keep it to ourselves. We see something that we don't agree with and head straight to the nearest internet equipped device to start our personal war of words.
But what I think we have conveniently forgotten is that we can have our opinions and not use them to hurt others. We can make our decisions without seeking justification from those around us. We can afford other people the right to make mistakes and do or say things that they might not really mean. We can stop getting offended so easily. We can let things go a little more often. We can ignore the nonsense instead of joining in on it. We can refuse to lower ourselves to fighting fire with fire. But instead if someone doesn't agree with us then we attack them. If someone has a different opinion we judge them. If someone says something mean we respond with more meanness. But isn't that just going to lead to even bigger problems?
When will we realize that calling people names, standing in judgement, and living with a heart full of hatred can't help make anything better? This acceptance and normalization of hate will never help anyone or anything, it will only make division and strife seem okay. Adding fuel to this already out of control conflagration will only cause more damage and wreak more havoc. Is that what we want? Is it so important to us to make sure everyone reads our funny little jabs at those who are different? Is it that important to get our two cents in on every stupid debate that our foolish world starts? Is it worth hurting someone else just so we can feel better about ourselves?
Way back in the day there was this idea that if you didn't have anything good to say then you shouldn't say anything at all. Not sure what happened to it. I guess it's been buried underneath all of the opinions and side-choosing that our society has made a hobby of these days. But it still works. It works because letting our anger or opinions drive our words and actions will only cause damage that we may not be able to repair. But if we hold our tongues, keep our opinions to ourselves, and calm down a little then we just might be able to show people that is still an option. We just might make a difference.
There will always be differences of opinion and different points of view. We’re all unique and we all see things in different ways. But those differences should be something that we appreciate. They can help us learn things that we may have not considered before. They can help us solidify our stance and strengthen our resolve in what we believe. But sadly those differences are only used as seeds of hatred and tools for argumentation. We’ve taken something that could very well make us better, flipped it on its head, and used it in ways that have only brought us down. It’s no wonder that we’re all so discombobulated and angry these days.
The bottom line is that we don't have to hate just because our world really likes doing so. We don't have to judge others because they sin a little differently than we do. We don't have to join in on this movement to put others down and voice every opinion we have. We can choose to let the world go on falling apart and skip the downfall ourselves. We can step back away from the dumpster fire of arrogance and division that so many seem to enjoy and just let them have at it. Just remember that you don't have to start a fight whenever you need some attention. Do something good, say something kind, be a beacon of hope in a rapidly darkening world.
I promise people will notice that too, so you'll still get the attention that you feel you need to have. Just without the risk of hurting someone's feelings or looking like a complete jerk. Which honestly, isn't something that any of us should be aiming to do!
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