A version of this article first appeared in Seriously Write.
Consider the political battle that broke out on my Facebook profile after the first presidential debate. Emotions were hot. Conflict was sharp. I had to remove some from the conversation, for their comments were derogatory and smacked of racism. And then, two days later, shocking us all, the President and the First Lady tested positive for COVID19, throwing everything up into the air and reshaping the rest of this campaign.
In this combative time of conflict in our nation, a sense of uncertainty can often be overwhelming. Peace and tranquility seem to be in the distant past. In the sixties and early seventies similar strife threatened to tear apart our country. Racial protests, then and now, were sparked by egregious wrongs that must be righted. These require creative solutions.
Combative political discourse enflames the situation, making it nearly impossible to find common ground. And then, there’s the pandemic, which somehow became politicized. This decreased our nation’s ability to combat it, and so now, over 7,549,682 of us have been or are currently sick, and we have more than 211,793 dead loved ones.
How can peace possibly enter this situation? Where do we find hope?
A lesson from the past is informative. Richard Baxter was an English Puritan pastor who lived from 1615-1691, a time of great difficulty in England and in Scotland with Protestants and Catholics pitted against one another during the reign of Charles II.
Many pastors were put to death or imprisoned, often for simply not following governmental restrictions about where they were allowed to preach and to meet. And yet during this time, Richard Baxter established a rare path of peace.
Richard Baxter lived this: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in both, charity.” This is broader, yet somewhat similar to what Martin Luther said: “Peace, if possible; truth, at all costs.”
God has us here for a purpose. He has given us the task of writing what is good, what is right, and what is pleasing to him. We have a mission from God during this time of upheaval, just as writers did during the 9/11 disaster, the Civil Rights Movement, previous times of war, and other national crises both before and during our lifetimes.
As Coretta Scott King said, “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation.”
Coretta Scott King said, “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation.” #BlackLivesDOMatter #Freedom Click To Tweet
Writers are essential. Someone must proclaim the truth. Someone must relay the facts. Someone must inspire people to continue to go forward during the most difficult times of our nation. Someone must motivate others toward love and good deeds.
That is us. We have been given this task. This is our sacred duty. How will we fulfill it?
The inspirational quotes by Richard Baxter and by Martin Luther only matter to us if we believe in objective truth. As followers of Christ, we do.
We believe in the Word of God and the promises contained therein. The creeds spell out the essentials, the truths, of our professions of faith. The Apostles’ Creed and The Lord’s Prayer, for instance, profess the most basic essentials of Christian faith.
So, how do we apply these truths to our choices and our political decisions when all the news outlets only give shaded versions of the truth, in essence, commentary? How much time do we spend fact checking before retweeting or posting something we’ve read?
In essentials, unity. Peace, if possible.
Truth, at all costs. In non-essentials, liberty.
Charity over all. Charity means love, kindness, compassion, believing the best of others, and choosing to prioritize unity and oneness with others during a disagreement.
In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. Charity over all. Charity means love, kindness, compassion, believing the best of others, and choosing unity and oneness with others during disagreements. #Unity #KindnessMatters Click To TweetWhat are societal essentials? Consider the political and social fights happening now, as occurred on my Facebook profile.
Do personal preferences and insistence on having our own way drive these conflicts? Do we display hypocrisy in our position, refusing to do what’s best for others in a situation, when we insisted that others do so toward us in the past? Is this even something we should be fighting about or causing division over, rather than seeking the greater good that is best for all?
What is our motive in all of this? What are the Lord’s most important directives to us? How can we be Christian peacemakers?
“Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall 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: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV).
How can we be Christian peacemakers? You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There's no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:29-31). Click To TweetDuring this difficult time, let’s obey these greatest commands based upon the love of God and one another, aiming our readers and friends and loved ones toward unity, tolerance, kindness, and love for harmony.
This challenge will require us to pray and to call upon the Lord to help us to soften our hearts, to yield the floor to one another, to listen, and to be kind.
“He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 ESV)
How are you dealing with the struggle to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with God?
How has the strife in our nation been a challenge to you? How are you finding ways to find peace in Christ and to bring peace to others?
We are in difficult times but my faith is strong because I trust in the Lord. He is in His throne.
He is! And, he’s working all things together for our good and for his glory! It’s such a relief to know that he superintends all of this, no matter how tumultuous! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Yvonne!
Melinda, there are so many takeaways in this post! Thank you for sharing Richard Baxter’s quote. How timely in this season we’re living in. Remembering this truth can inform our writing. I’ve been the one who posted something before checking the facts in the past. No more. We can incense people or we can be a gracious voice of truth. I choose the latter. Thanks for your insights.
Thank you for stopping by to contribute to the conversation, Jeanne. Fact checking! Yes, so incredibly important! We must speak and write the truth, and so we check facts and research, for sometimes the truths we must speak and write are hard to hear, but needed. While being the gracious voice of truth, we must sometimes state a difficult reality that requires change. What a time we live in! God is breaking so many things down, and even us, and bringing needed reformation.
You have touched on some real issues we experience today. I avoid writing anything political on social media because I know the kinds of responses I’ll get. People on either side of the issues are volatile, feelings are running high. One thing I’ve found, however, is when I post a related scripture, I get very little opposition. Strange, huh?
The conflict of our era reminds me of that time of earlier conflict in the 1960s and early 1970s. Of course, then, we had no social media and all of us received our news from Walter Cronkite. So, we were all on the same page. People now come at “truth” from different perspectives, having heard their own version of the truth, since news agencies basically provide their biased commentary. This is fracturing the country. As a believer, I try to be a truth teller, and to also, like you, season what I write with Scripture. Thank you for adding your thoughts, June.
Times are difficult. But, we can find comfort knowing God is with us and never leaves us. We call to Him and He answers. He listens. His plan is always best.
What wonderful realities and promises those are! Thanks be to God that these commitments are true and that he always answers and cares for us! Thank you for commenting, Melissa.
I’ve always loved Richard Baxter’s quote.
And it seems you and I were on the same page this past week!
We definitely were. I was thinking that as I read and responded to your post! Your technical dissection of the ad hominem argument is much needed in this combat climate of exchanging ideas. Timely, and insightful.
Yes! Amen! “Writers are essential. Someone must proclaim the truth. Someone must relay the facts.” What a timely, insightful, and beautifully said piece of hope and a call to action here, Melinda. xoxoxo
Thank you, Jessica! And thank you for adding your thoughts here. We must be the voice of reason, compassion, and love in a time when there’s so much vitriol. Even as I post this, I’m having a cordial disagreement via text about the president’s response to COVID.
Out in the world, there’s much arguing, so much hasty rush to judgment. We must research. We must agree to disagree, rather than tear down the entire house. We must respond with patience and love. We must be civil. And, we must write from this foundation. This requires prayer and patience, because our emotions easily become engaged.
I am not a writer…one of my invisible disabilities has caused me to lose all correct ways of commas…periods….ect. ect. ( Can be embarrassing ) it is what it is…so I write with … It’s so hard for me even watch the news most of the time… It literally scatters my brain… What u say about each era …I get that and see it…It can get so overwhelming ! I always look forward to these posts and your fellow writers responses ! U go girl!!!
Terri, thank you for adding your thoughts. I love when you comment, because you always add a new perspective. I’m with you on this noise and arguing, even on the news. It is definitely brain scattering. I’ve also had problems due to the fighting. This political combat and fighting and arguing make me feel like I’m on high alert, and so, insomnia plagues me, and I also find myself at a loss for words on occasion.
We must deliberately choose to be kind and to listen, for we’re all teetering on the edge. Lord, help us to get through all of this and bless Terri in her suffering.
Oh Melinda, how these words pierce, prod and simultaneously shine with the light of Jesus Christ. These questions are so deep:
“Do personal preferences and insistence on having our own way drive these conflicts? Do we display hypocrisy in our position, refusing to do what’s best for others in a situation, when we insisted that others do so toward us in the past? Is this even something we should be fighting about or causing division over, rather than seeking the greater good that is best for all? What is our motive in all of this? What are the Lord’s most important directives to us? How can we be Christian peacemakers?”
We all need to ask ourselves these questions again and again. Especially in these volatile times, when as you say, even health concerns have become politicized.
Only God sees all and knows all. We need to seek Him, to hold the mind of Christ and exhibit the Fruit of His Spirit. For what the world needs in the end, is Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Let us not lose sight of Him.
Thank you for this powerful message of Godly wisdom.
Melissa, thank you for adding your thoughts here. You pulled forward that list of questions to emphasize their importance, and you’re the first person to focus in on the significance of questioning ourselves before we move forward. We must interrogate ourselves actually, because we can even hide our self-serving motives from ourselves, so thank you for pulling this portion of the post forward. For God does see all and know all, as you mentioned. Your reminder that we seek the Lord, hold on tight to the mind of Christ, and seek to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit is powerful. God bless you and keep you, Sister.
I like what Vice President Pence said to Harris, his opponent in this presidential election, “ You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to change the facts.” Likewise, we are all entitled to our opinions, but we cannot change the truth in the matters at hand. We stand firm on truth, and hold loosely to our opinions. In both we share with grace and love. Great article, Melinda. Very thought provoking!
Marcie, thank you for sharing your perspective and your opinion. Within the content of the post: “Richard Baxter lived this: ‘In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in both, charity’…Martin Luther said: ‘Peace, if possible; truth, at all costs,’” I think your position puts you solidly in Martin Luther’s camp. Thank you for weighing in from the vantage of this week’s political debate.
I love that Richard Baxter quote! I heard it years ago in a Bible study taught by a lady from England. It’s so refreshing to really distinguish between essentials and non-essentials, and true liberty and charity. And to know as writers, this is part of our calling! Thanks, Melinda! Simply beautiful!
Thank you, Karen! I’ve heard this quote so much throughout our years with a ministry in India and as a lay leader, and so it was interesting to discover who had stated these words and what his story was during that difficult time in England. We’re in difficult times now as well, and so there are many applications in our current conversations and disagreements and the volatile situation in our country. Deep truths from a long ago time are entirely applicable. Love for Jesus motivates us. Thank you for adding your thoughts.
Melinda, thanks for your post here. You are wise to remind us that, as followers, of Christ our main purpose in life is to love God and then, to love our neighbor. It can be a challenge to find that love of others in the midst of disagreements and tensions. Thanks for your post.
Diane, thank you for adding your thoughts. It is such a challenge to keep our focus on the love of God and of our neighbor in the midst of such a volatile time. This political campaign has been so vitriolic! The guidance of wisdom from God’s Word and from these believers who’ve gone before us is incredibly helpful. God bless you, sister!
This is such a good call to writers, to Christian people. We must not get enflamed like the crowd, picking sides, talking, even shouting one another down. “They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love.”
Thank you for sharing this, Melinda. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the reasons I became a pastor. I always hold on to his cry from Amos,
“Let roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Amos 5:24
Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, who labored alongside him, also inspired my life, coming of age as I did during that time period. We must be listeners and peacemakers and learners, so that we truly hear what others have said. We must be the peacemakers who have listened to both sides, so that peace can be accomplished. Thank you for sharing about the importance of MLK in your life, Pam! I remember!