I live in the country that is called the United States of America. It is known as the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is a great country but nowadays it seems to be falling apart at the seams. We no longer seem United because of many different ideals. One of the reasons why the United States is so great is because we have many freedoms and rights. One of those rights is freedoms of speech. This is good because we can express our opinions but lately those opinions have begun to tear us apart. We have people who think we should be wearing masks and people who refuse to wear masks. We have people who believe they have been wronged and lost some of their rights and freedom and people who think that these people need to calm down. Thus, with all this division we are creating fault lines.
It's interesting that the very ideals that our country was built on has created division. Divisions and different opinions actually can be good things though. Can you picture what it must have been like in that first Continental Congress room? Way back when our country was being founded, do you think those men agreed on everything they decided on? More than likely they did not because they all have different experiences and opinions. Some of them may not have agreed with the decisions that were made, they may not have even liked each other, but they supported the movement nonetheless. They did what they believed was best for the country at the time. They stayed United even when they disagreed at times.
Today we are facing much division in our country for many reasons. We have many fault lines in our opinions and actions. And, if we continue down this path we are headed, I fear these fault lines will break our country. We know one of the reasons why our country is great is because we have the freedom to choose. We choose what job we will take, our opinions, where we live, our religion, and we choose how we treat people.
As Christians in this world we have a responsibility to choose to show God's love at all times, even when it is hard. Colossians 3:13-14 is a good reminder for Christians today: "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." If you don't agree with someone's opinions what are you to do? You are to love them. You tell them in a loving way that you don't agree with them but you still love them. If you don't agree with someone's actions what are you to do? You can tell them you don't agree with their actions but you still love them. Colossians reminds us of this. We are to "put on love which binds... (us) together in perfect unity." If we don't show love, even when it's difficult, these fault lines will break not only relationships, but also our country.
It's time for us to make a choice. Will we continue down this path of disunity and division? Or, will we choose to listen to one another and respond in love? Remember we don't have to agree with others actions and opinions but we do still have to respond to them in love. That's the only thing that may stop the fault lines from breaking our country.
So, how will you choose to act when you don't agree with a person's actions or opinions?
It's interesting that the very ideals that our country was built on has created division. Divisions and different opinions actually can be good things though. Can you picture what it must have been like in that first Continental Congress room? Way back when our country was being founded, do you think those men agreed on everything they decided on? More than likely they did not because they all have different experiences and opinions. Some of them may not have agreed with the decisions that were made, they may not have even liked each other, but they supported the movement nonetheless. They did what they believed was best for the country at the time. They stayed United even when they disagreed at times.
Today we are facing much division in our country for many reasons. We have many fault lines in our opinions and actions. And, if we continue down this path we are headed, I fear these fault lines will break our country. We know one of the reasons why our country is great is because we have the freedom to choose. We choose what job we will take, our opinions, where we live, our religion, and we choose how we treat people.
As Christians in this world we have a responsibility to choose to show God's love at all times, even when it is hard. Colossians 3:13-14 is a good reminder for Christians today: "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." If you don't agree with someone's opinions what are you to do? You are to love them. You tell them in a loving way that you don't agree with them but you still love them. If you don't agree with someone's actions what are you to do? You can tell them you don't agree with their actions but you still love them. Colossians reminds us of this. We are to "put on love which binds... (us) together in perfect unity." If we don't show love, even when it's difficult, these fault lines will break not only relationships, but also our country.
It's time for us to make a choice. Will we continue down this path of disunity and division? Or, will we choose to listen to one another and respond in love? Remember we don't have to agree with others actions and opinions but we do still have to respond to them in love. That's the only thing that may stop the fault lines from breaking our country.
So, how will you choose to act when you don't agree with a person's actions or opinions?
Image from here.
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