When divisions deepen into rigid mindsets, hardened hearts arise.
Eventually, zero-sum approaches ensue and ensnare.
Rather than seeking mutual benefit, risks multiply, and collective failure becomes a probable outcome.
Death begets death rather than hope begetting hope.
We find ourselves bringing torches to destroy rather than providing light on what needs to be exposed. In this heightened rage and prejudice, we all burn.
We forget the battle isn’t you versus me, but us versus Satan.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
The thief is trying to rob us of our sense of safety.
As such, we become reactionary; passion can become a love of cause rather than a love of thy neighbor.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).
Loving your neighbor as yourself, especially when you disagree with their actions, doesn’t mean condoning or ignoring their behavior.
Biblical love is active and rooted in God’s character, not yours nor another’s.
We can listen to differing perspectives without endorsing them, speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and seek their ultimate good, which may involve honest correction (Leviticus 19:17-18). We are called to pray sincerely for others, to bless rather than curse, and to pursue peace.
“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).
If Jesus were to observe your actions, social media posts, or even your thoughts, would He determine that you are actively pursuing peace? Or do you spend significantly more time criticizing others instead of seeking God’s power and guidance?
What if a non-believer were looking at your posts, the way you position yourself against those whom you oppose: would they be more inclined to want to know God because of the way you handle adversity?
When dealing with adversity, the foundational importance of verifiable information cannot be overstated.
However, in today’s world, with biased broadcasting, artificial intelligence, and people claiming to be more informed than they are, we have an influx of alleged experts and modified truths, leaving us with fewer people willing to reassert themselves into uncomfortable conversations that aren’t always cut-and-dry.
In essence, a foundation of reliable shared knowledge serves as a critical framework enabling collective problem-solving and action. We know that in this world, we can, at times, look at the same image but not see the same picture — the foundational frame, constructed by Christ’s sacrificial love, is fractured.
This world is fractured.
As such, when we start from two different perspectives, each believing the other is unstable, bridges are often burned, and the divide widens. Emotions flare, and it becomes difficult to see the way forward—much to Satan’s delight.
Each holds so tightly to their interpretation rather than the unshakable truth of God. In this, the devil is the winner. We are losers—all of us.
What good is being convinced of your beliefs if you cannot remain in Christ and cross a bridge to help your fellow man?
Jesus, on the night before His crucifixion, washed the feet of Judas. He served rather than condemned, knowing full well what Judas had done and would do (John 13:1-17).
We might challenge ourselves to look to Jesus’ example of humble service.
However, the very idea may bristle some who are so enmeshed in vitriol that they have lost sight of who they truly represent: Christ Jesus.
If anyone had warranted anger, it was Jesus. He exhibited as much, at times. Yet, Jesus did not participate in a broader cycle of fear, even when opposing evil.
Rather than advocate division, maybe we could begin to speak life into something different than what the mainstream wants us to drown in.
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
God’s presence is real and equips us to overcome, stand firm, and reflect His light without fear or conceit.
May we shine as faithful reflectors of His light—confronting evil without mirrored hatred.
That path is hard, countercultural, and often rejected—but it’s the one He walked to the cross, showing love that absorbs evil without returning it, and offering hope that no riot, threat, or policy can ultimately extinguish.
This column was initially published by CherryRoad Media. For more inspirational articles, follow ©Tiffany Kaye Chartier.
