Heart–to-Hartin - Jan. 2020

In the view of millions of Americans, the last four years have been a disaster

with regard to how our nation has been governed by its elected officials. For

those Americans, the swearing in of a new presidential administration brings

the hope that we can leave behind the disturbing events of the past and enter

a time of greater cooperation and less animosity among our government’s

leaders. In the minds of these individuals, the “nightmare” is finally over.

We must realize, however, that our nation remains deeply divided and that

what we’ve seen happening in our nation’s capital is being played out in

various forms throughout the fifty states. Among other things, millions of

Americans are still coming to grips with the reality that America has become an

increasingly diverse nation in which the majority culture can no longer claim

privilege and prevalence in all facets of American identity.

Some people – including many Christians – are still very bothered by this, and

we should expect that these people will continue to express their displeasure

through rallies, protests, and incendiary posts on social media. In fact, it’s

possible that what we’ve witnessed over the past four years is only the

beginning of a long and difficult stage in our nation’s growth and development.

As followers of Jesus, what will you and I do in response to the ongoing unrest

which has polarized our nation? What should we do?

An important first step is to examine our own hearts. We must ask ourselves,

“Am I contributing to our nation’s problems through my own actions and

attitudes? Are the things which I’m doing helping to bring people together? Or

are they driving people further apart?”

Another important step is to educate ourselves. We need to realize that we

often dismiss opposing viewpoints without fully understanding the rationale

behind those viewpoints, instead allowing our responses to be shaped by the

news media outlets that suit our preferences. Part of educating ourselves is

learning how to see an issue from different points of view.

Finally, we must love people—i.e. all people, including and perhaps especially

those whose thinking is in direct opposition to our own. The love of God

flowing through His people into the lives of others is what our nation needs.