By Josh Kerby
If we look at America today, what do we see? Here lately, it seems all we ever want to do is debate things with each other. Some examples are taking a knee during the National Anthem, gun control, and abortion. I think it is important to discuss these issues, but it seems like it has gotten to the point of arguing and name-calling. When this happens, we forget who we are talking to. We forget that they are humans who need love just like we do. We stop seeing them as human beings and start seeing them as opponents. We all want to change the world. We all want to make the world better. We look at these issues and think that’s where we need to start, but it’s not. How should we conduct ourselves with these issues? What do we need to do to make a change?
“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” – Ecclesiastes 7:9
When it comes to debating opposing views with someone, rarely do you gain any ground. Each side can say why their point of view is better and right all day long. Each side can argue why the opposing side is wrong. Neither side, however, will yield in their stance. It’s not an issue of the head, but the position of the heart. The opposing side has a different worldview than you and what you are arguing is just a small part of their worldview. Most of the time it isn’t a core value. These arguments tend to cause more division. As time goes on, we start to lose the point of the issue, and it becomes about winning the argument.
“Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” – Ephesians 4:15
We need to speak in love. We need to speak the truth. The way we see things in the world is because our hearts are aligned with God’s. If we try to get someone to side with our opinions, we are trying to align their hearts with ours. We need to share the gospel with them. We need to help them align their hearts with God’s heart. We can’t do this in a condescending voice. We need to share it with love and care. We need to do it with no agenda for ourselves. We need to do it because we don’t want them to suffer. If their heart is aligned with God’s, this division we see in our nation will grow small. The love we show will increase.
Change starts with you. Where is your heart? Is it aligned with God’s or with something else? First, align your heart with God. Seek God with everything you have. Second, share the Gospel with people. The problem with this nation is we have stepped away from God. Without God, all these opposing views will grow, and division will rise. We have become a nation of opinions and not of love. If we can love like Jesus did and God becomes the center of our nation, the problems will disappear. If we want to change the world, we need to love God, love people, and share the gospel.
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