In today’s cultural climate it seems that we’ve lost sight of a basic tenant that holds society together – simple respect.
In today’s world, it has become more important to be right that to be respectful. Now I’m not saying that we should compromise when it comes to absolute truth or what we know to be morally right. But if we have to put the other person down in order to prove our point, the we are in the wrong regardless if our message is true.
Sadly, this attitude has infiltrated the church as well and has caused a lot of hurt and division in the church. So instead of being a place of encouragement and rest where we build each other up in our most holy faith, it has become a war zone in many churches.
We need to respect other people’s point of view. Calling somebody “stupid” just because they don’t agree with you is disrespectful and wrong! Jesus told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. He also told us to love one another just as He loved us.
Jesus would never call someone stupid just because He didn’t agree with their point. He would lovingly listen to their heart and then patiently show then the better way. Like when he told the women “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Jesus also told her accusers “Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.”
It is never okay to attack another person’s character just because we don’t agree with them. Words hurt worse the weapons. One hurtful word can destroy a person faster and more completely than a nuclear bomb can destroy a city.
If we have to attack another person’s character in order to prove your point of view, stand by our opinion, or to avoid admitting that we, at the very least, may be wrong, than we are already in the wrong.
If we are determined that we are never going to admit that we could be wrong and are going to stand by our opinion no matter what facts are presented, then we become part of the problem.
When we watch the “debates” of today, all you see is one side calling the other side stupid and dumb for thinking differently then they do. Attacking each other’s character in order to be right and not caring about the truth. That is not a debate. That is an fight.
We need to get back to the basics of what a debate is and follow the basic rules of a debate. In a true debate, one side presents argument (why they’re for or against the particular topic) , then the other side presents their rebuttal (why they disagree with the first person’e argument). Then both sides take turns until the moderator ends the discussion or moves on to the next topic or question. The percipients are not permitted to speak directly to each other (in most cases) nor are they permitted to interrupt each other. There are many more rules of course, but these are the basic rules.
By getting back to these basic rule of not only debate, but also discussion, we will be able to hear what other people have to say and why they believe the way they do and may learn somethings we never know or discover that some of the facts we’ve thought were true, are in reality not true. This allows us to grow as individuals.
Jesus said that the world would know that we are his disciples by our love for one another. We will never all agree on every little point but we can still choose to love and respect each other even when we don’t agree. Or as Jesus put it “If you only love those who love you (agree with you, believe exactly like you, think like you, dress like you, act like you, etc), what credit is that to you? Even sinners (evil people) do that much!”
We are the light of the world (since Jesus went to be with the Father and the world sees Him no more. Until the day of His appearing) a city on a hill which cannot be hidden. So we must let out light shine before all man that they may see it and glorify our Father who is in Heaven.
So let’s not get caught up in the culture of this world and be so distracted by our differences and the need to be right that we destroy the lives of those around us. Both of our brothers and sisters in Christ and in the world around us.
I’ll end with this verse: Beloved, let us love one another. For love of God and they that love are born of god and know God. But they who do not love do not know God. For God is love.