Scripture: Proverbs 29:9 – “If the wise go to law with fools, there is ranting and ridicule without relief.” (NRSV)
Last night, our Bible study looked at the story of Noah’s ark. We looked at the terrible violence that had overwhelmed humanity to such a degree that God decided it would be best to “start over” with Noah. This led us to consider the current state of humanity, and we remarked upon how divided we are as a people, more now than we could ever remember.
We have several options for dealing with our division. The first is to circle the wagons for one’s own “side” and do everything possible to vilify or destroy the other. This option makes us feel like we are part of team, not alone in our opinions, and that our conflict is a righteous one against implacable foes. It can also lead to civil wars in which thousands and millions of people might die.
The second is to try to reason with the other side, to demonstrate the error of their ways. Since these disagreements are often ideological, they are matters of opinion, and opinion can be changed. People on both sides imagine a marvelous debate, such as the Lincoln-Douglas debates of long ago, where people would lay out their best arguments and people would decide the best way forward through logic and consideration. However, debates have never worked that way. The Book of Proverbs says, “If the wise go to law with fools, there is ranting and ridicule without relief.” If one tries to debate with someone who has no desire to engage in a good faith argument, the result will be a circus of folly. And if you go to any cable news channel or social media platform, you will see this “ranting and ridicule without relief” played out daily. When you confront people with a “reasonable” argument, they are not going to feel open to new ideas. They are going to feel attacked and will double down on their own opinions no matter how much contrary evidence is thrown their way.
Since neither of these options lessen the division, we must consider a third option, the difficult notion of loving our opponents. People do not react well to those who attack them, either directly or through logic and reason, but they will consider the words of a friend. It might be very difficult to embrace with love someone whose ideals and behavior are objectively destructive, but unless they feel safe and heard and loved, they will always retreat into them. This is one of the reasons why Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
On Sunday, we sang “Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.” If really want to make the world more peaceful and less divided, and not just soothe our egos and feel the comfort of “being right”, we are going to need to take the slow and often painful steps of being loving each day. Let compassion for the world begin with those around you, and in time we will find that peace for which we all so desperately long.
Prayer: God, give me the inner to peace to love and forgive those who reject and persecute us. Amen.
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