It doesn’t take long when you are on social media to feel overwhelmed by the division. I’m sure just saying the word division makes your heart squeeze up a little bit. Immediately you are envisioning the people or things in your life that are making you feel a bit angsty at the moment.
So. Much. Drama.
So. Many. Opinions.
I’ve been reflecting a bit on what God wants from us in these days and lately he has been saying to my heart, ‘stand in the divide.’
I had a job many years ago where I worked with two gals who did not get along. They hated each other. At this point I can’t recall why, but they just irritated each other. Glaring across the office, short language, constant irritation. Have you experienced something similar?
After I had been working there for some time, the gal I worked immediately with said to me that I was the first person who was equally able to work with both of them successfully. I found this interesting. Suddenly I became an unintentional bridge-builder that helped to communicate in the gap. Did they become best friends? No. But they did try harder.
We influence our surroundings when we stand in the divide.
On the first day of school one of my kids came home and told me about the great mask debate on the playground. One friend wanted masks and one didn’t. They argued. He was in the middle. I asked him what he did and he said that eventually he walked away to go do something else. There may be a lesson in there. Some arguments are not meant to be entered into.
Perhaps there isn’t always one right side.
I’ve been praying, “God, what does it mean to be a person who stands in the divide?”
Here’s what I think.
Filling Up on Good. Don’t make the mistake of only consuming the negative headlines. It will affect your brain. Fill up on the good stories. Don’t fall into the trap of soaking in the bad or you will see the world through that lens.
Empathy. I think it’s okay to admit we won’t all agree on things, but we certainly don’t need to yell at each other.
Seek Peace. The world is not meant to give us peace. Only God can give us peace. Don’t look for it in the wrong places.
It’s tough. I think we can admit that. The good news is we can all influence the world around us. We can all be people who empathize, seek peace, spread good. It might seem small but I guarantee it can make a difference. When you are feeling overwhelmed, start here and let’s watch God change our hearts and make us all people that stand in the divide.
