One Thing: Right

It is never more important to be right than to love your neighbor.

"And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that."

Luke 6:33 

NOTE:

I jumped in.  I produced an opinion piece on this site and then posted it on social media. 

Perhaps I'm just tired, or maybe, I've got thin skin. Either way, I'm a bit exhausted with an apparent lack of compassion, diplomacy, and considerate discourse that seems so evident in our polarized society.

My first reaction said, "To heck with all of them. It does not matter what I think - or even what you think."

My second reaction was to make amends, to apologize for an opinion that has apparently offended others.

Continued reactions only provided more confusion and depression.  

The answer was obvious - just withdraw.  Let others argue, demean, and ridicule with abandon. There is no need to contribute to division.  There is no justification for escalating already frayed nerves.  There is no fulfillment when the result is rooted not in communion, but increased contention.

But withdrawing is not the answer. 

Beginning today, I will be changing this format a bit.  I'm not going to offer opinions, although they will be quietly evident.  At least for the next month or so, there will be a couple of new articles each week. They will be designed for the consideration of just one thing. There will be no preaching. They will not include any type of debate and will avoid even the concept of, "'Just the facts, ma'am." 

I need to ground myself, yet again.  

I need to recognize that my opinions are valid - and so are yours.

I need to pray that my heart will be accepting of calm and divergent viewpoints while still allowing me to be a loving person - with no exceptions.