Truth Over Tribe

I am reading a new book called Truth over Tribe (Pledging allegiance to the lamb, not the donkey or the elephant), and it's a book I feel very much relatable to my life.

I am the liberal in conservative circles and the conservative in liberal circles, and 100% it is my fault.

I have taught for 24 years now and one of the main things I try to get across to my students is that there are different perspectives on any given issue. You don't have to believe what someone else does, but show some respect and be able to defend your own opinion or facts.

It's my fault because I talk too much and have an opinion even more too often.

And, if that person is arguing from a feet planted, firm perspective, I just have to try and show a different way. I don't know why I do it, I should just keep my mouth shut, but I don't sometimes. 

And then...

That person either treats my perspective (which may not even be my opinion) with respectful disagreement or, well, doesn't.

And then because I can be emotionally immature when treated like I don't know what I'm talking about, tend to maybe lose it a little.

Ok, sometimes a lot.

I am not perfect, and I sure as heck don't know everything, but I can promise you if I put it out there, I have thought about it a lot and tried to look at an issue from every angle.

Just because I don't agree with something or someone doesn't agree with me, doesn't me that we are wrong, in fact, we are just looking at something from a different perspective.

Abortion?

You're looking through the pregnant woman's perspective or the unborn's perspective.

Illegal Immigration?

You're looking through the people running for a better life's perspective, or how can we handle so many new people and still function perspective.

Law enforcement?

You're looking through the police perspective or the minority policed perspective.

And on and on and on.

Here's a good test for you when it comes to whether you have an open mind or not.

Do you ever feel that your "side" is wrong on any issue or does anything wrong, misspeaks, etc?

Also, when your "side" does this, are you willing to admit it or even speak up and point it out?

If no on those questions, you just might be part of the problem.

But so am I, but I'm trying.

Grace, Always Grace

That teacher just lost her mom.

That teenage student is used to being verbally and physically abused at home.

That police officer is going through a divorce.

That pastor just lost a child to cancer.

That accountant had a flat tire on the way to work.

That principal has a sick pet that has been with her for a long time.

That lawyer has been sexually assaulted.

That coach is dealing with a drug addicted sibling.

That construction worker is getting over alcohol addiction.

That doctor has lost multiple patients this week.

That soccer mom gets no help from her husband.

That McDonald's worker is dealing with a mental illness.

That tech manager is dealing with a parent with Alzheimer's.

That PTO president wishes her kids acknowledged her.

That student wishes her parents would tell her they love her.

That fire fighter has a sick relative.

That young girl has dealt with sexual abuse.

That young guy has dealt with sexual abuse.

That former student is dealing with a criminal trial.

That current student is angry because they've been through more rough things than you have.

That air traffic controller is dealing with a disease that creates pain every day.

That nurse is addicted to pain meds.

We are all dealing with something. What may not seem a lot to you, very well could be huge to that person. 

When dealing with others remember, always remember that a little grace can go a long way.

We're Not in Gangs

I got caught up in it a little when I first became a believer.

When someone left their current church, it was almost like they had committed some unforgivable sin and it would be awkward when you saw them in public.

How dumb is that?

I mean...we're not in gangs.

And if someone continues to go to church, but it's not their current church or the church I attend, I don't care.

Do they still believe in God?

Do they still believe Jesus is the Son of God, died on the cross and was resurrected three days later?

Are they still growing and helping others?

Yes. Yes. and Yes.

Then great for them.

I don't care about differences in churches.

They preach for an hour. Good for them..

They preach for 15 minutes. Good for them.

They have acapella singing. Good for them.

They have a rock and roll band on stage. Good for them.

They do something completely "strange" from your church? Good for them.

If they're not breaking any laws from the government, they're not breaking any moral laws from the Bible, and they believe the above things...well, good for them.

We are taught division from birth; favorite towns, schools, sports teams, etc, etc, but the church needs to get over itself and it's division.

If you're Catholic, I love you.

If you're Methodist, I love you.

If you're Presbyterian, I love you.

If you worship in any church, and heck, even if you don't...I love you.

We must get over our divisions and learn to be the hands and feet of Christ and not the hands and feet of our denomination.

That's Okay

I've noticed that I don't read as much, I don't watch movies as much, and I haven't been writing as much.

And I wonder, is it because I am only reading 140 characters at a time often every day, I watch 10 minute videos often every day and it's causing me not to want to write.

When you are being inundated with short bits of info, the longer bits can be tiring because you don't have the stamina for it. You've gotten out of the habit of reading or watching longer.

I have had some ideas about what to write about, but forget when I get back to a computer to write things down, and maybe that has something to do with it.

I do know that from time to time, my intelligent father would make comments about having too much information, and tune out from time to time.

I couldn't understand it then.

I understand it now.

I guess I am in a time in my life where writing and reading aren't a priority, I don't feel the inspiration to do these things, but that's ok.

Think! or Don't, but Don't Tell Me...

There's too much information and too many people have too many "informed" opinions on any given situation due to that.

Yea, I know. That sounds bad, but a few uninformed people would be nice for the informed to lead around, right?

Yea, probably not.

But what has happened is that too many people feel that they are as informed as experts on situations. 

But to be fair, experts in one field tend to give us their "expert" opinion on issues they don't know as much as we probably do.

I believe what I believe and I believe in the absolute truth of Jesus Christ, but I cannot understand people who are closed minded enough to not want dialogue on any given issue. 

I  will even discuss, debate, dialogue on Jesus.

But people close their minds, and often those who think they're uber open minded are closed just inside a different set of points.

And then there's me who has taught social studies for 24 years now and have been intentional in using logic and reason  to discuss any given point. 

I want my students to think!

But thinking is not being done. It's not being done by the closed minded, uninformed, emotional, knee jerk reactionaries and it's not being done by (gasp) the elite, intelegensia.

One side doesn't care to think and the other side...well, they have it all figured out and there is no questioning their...um..."expertise" as deep thinkers.

I am not sure which is worse, I really don't.

I Don't Have the Answers, But I Know What to Do

My heart hurts.

Maybe it's my head.

No, it's my soul.

You know the thing you can't measure.

Yet, you're gonna tell me it's the chemicals in my brain.

It's not.

It's the inherent truth that I know this isn't how it's supposed to be.

It's all part of God's plan, so they say.

But I don't get it, and I don't want to hear it.

God either does it or allows it.

But that doesn't mean, I can understand Him.

Why does evil exist?

I have some answers, but they're not good.

As a believer, I have to try to explain it.

But as a non-believer, you have to explain it and everything else.

So I will rely on the understanding that I can't understand it all.

I will lean into the pain and hurt to grow.

And I will do all I can to help those going through the same thing.

Do I have the answers?

No.

But I know what to do.

That is to love, pray, love, help, love, fight, and love.

God forgive us for we know not what we do.....