Bridging the Divisions
Gott’s Thoughts
It seems that it is easy to focus on things that divide us. Clemson vs South Carolina, Chick Fil A vs Zaxby’s, Samoas vs Thin Mints, to name just a few. On a more serious note, it hurts our hearts to see so much disconnection around us.
My father and I have a complicated relationship. We see the world very differently. We can butt heads with the best of them over multiple things going on in the world. If we were to let things get too heated, we might never talk to each other again. But we are intentional on focusing on the things that bring us together. We can talk for days about college basketball, our fishing trips, the crazy weather, and various places we have been in the US. The key to this is that we have a relationship that we want to maintain. We have to work hard at it because we have some drastically different values in a few areas. These hot topics can be divisive but we choose to approach them with a spirit of civility and mutual respect. It is still difficult at times and my temper can flare up in a heartbeat when he says something that I disagree with. But the point once again is that I love my dad despite our differences and am willing to find a better path for our relationship.
Looking at the world around me, I can draw a set of concentric circles outward from me. There would be a group of people in each circle that represent the depth of relationship that we have. As you can visualize, my family would be in the closest circle. My close friends and colleagues in the next. My students may be next. And so on. Ultimately, we can include the whole world in a very large circle. As I have just shared, it is a challenge sometimes to interact with those closest to us. But we choose to do so because those relationships are important to us. The question arises, at what point does an outer circle become the line we won’t try to bridge? What group or groups are beyond building a relationship with?
In my life, I have been around the world, have met a huge variety of people, and have studied their many cultures, beliefs, and practices. While there are definitely behaviors and actions that I strongly oppose and much that I don’t understand, I have never met a person that was not worthy of being loved and respected Every time I have shared a meal with someone, listened to their story, and walked a little bit along their path, I have gained a new perspective and a broader understanding. If I choose to draw a line and say it’s us or them, we take a step toward conflict and harm. Bottom line, we don’t have to believe the same things or agree on everything. However, we can decide to look for the best in people and find common ground. No matter the barriers, if we let it, love will find a way.