anticipating a week of chaos

 

A few thoughts as we prepare for a week of potential chaos here in the United States.

1. A peaceful society is ours for the making. Our words and actions matter. Resolve to be a person of peace by resisting the temptation to demonize others. Instead, let us humanize one another.  

2. In terms of political support, a humble acknowledgment of the shortcomings of a candidate is just as important as an assessment of their strengths. Humility and honesty go hand-in-hand.

3. Love is courageous and when acts of courage spring from love there is no need to belittle others. To speak out for truth is an act of courage in its own right; as we speak, may we do so in ways that show we respect the humanity of one another, including those with whom we disagree. It is neither courageous nor loving to be blunt, sarcastic, and quick to judge.

4. Let us do all in our power to de-escalate tense interactions on social media this week. When someone pummels you online, take a pause, and be slow to respond. If the interaction truly matters, it can be revisited later when you have had a chance to consider a response that will contribute to the making of peace, the promotion of justice and the love of mercy.

5. Keep the long-range in view. Chaos begs a response; may our responses spring from a place of wisdom, which is both timely and enduring.

6. Uncertainty calls for the wisdom of grace and the grace of wisdom. Let us be extra careful to verify any information that is disputable. Resolve now not to promote disinformation. It should humble us that so much information we encounter is rooted in manipulating the truth to gain power. If information is presented to you that seems to serve up a black-and-white response, slow down enough to question it. If our understanding of the full picture requires more nuance, it will become clear in time. The truth will out; though she is timely, she is never in a hurry.

7. To those who identify as Christian: the world will know you are truly a follower of Christ by your love and the love of Jesus is revealed by the way you treat…your enemy. Enmity has no place in the heart of someone who claims to follow Jesus. It should humble Christians to contemplate that many of their enemies are only so because Christians have made them so unnecessarily. When it turns out that the Jesus you follow happens to agree with all your political convictions, you can be sure you are not following the real Jesus. He will not be co-opted by merely human political persuasions.

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anticipating a week of chaos

reflections by troy cady

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*Photo by Tiffany Tertipes via Unsplash. Creative Commons License.