After the events of January, the sixth, I felt compelled to say something to my students. How could I let such a seminal event pass? Armed interlopers had not invaded our capital since the War of 1812. And as we watched, a lawless group of our fellow citizens battered down the doors of our capital and rampaged through the dome, chambers, halls, and offices, forcing a halt to government activities. But what could I say that would not be incendiary to one group or another? And more importantly, what could I say that truly addressed the situation? So, after much prayer and gathering my thoughts, this is what I shared. As I tend to ramble, I’ve edited my lesson for brevity. Perhaps they might help clarify our response to the past few days. As I teach in a parochial school, I framed my remarks as a response from scripture.
Watching the news, I could not help but feel a sense of turmoil. But then I remembered the words of Jesus, “…In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b (ESV). Prayer seems an obvious first response, prayer seeking the peace that comes with trust and faith. As Christians, we face adversity armed with the knowledge that Jesus walked this path first, overcoming the challenges he faced. Prayer puts us in touch with the peace we need to handle the turmoil we face. His peace provides calm which enables us to see with clarity the path before us. So, what do we pray for?
Solomon faced great adversity and disorder upon the death of David. Malignant forces threatened to destroy the kingdom. One night the Lord visited him in a dream, asking him what he wanted. Solomon asked for wisdom, admitting his own weakness and insufficiency. As we consider our response to such chaos, we must start with an admission to our own inadequacy. Whatever our response, we ought to be the people that work to bridge gaps and bring people closer. Listening to others requires a certain humility, a tacit admission that their story is worthwhile, their needs justified, and their hopes relevant. All too often we approach others from a position of surety based on prideful assumption, and when we do so we inhibit effective communication. Instead, let us humbly seek the wisdom required for profitable engagement. In James, we’re reminded that if we lack wisdom, we should ask in faith. When sorting through such nettlesome issues we need all the help we can get as we consider our words.
During the latter half of my military career, I worked in close proximity to General officers. This is not unusual. When one reaches the field-grade ranks, you normally spend a considerable amount of your time serving on flag officer staff. In one assignment we had a new one-star general. He was a font of “good-ideas.” In any meeting, he would throw out several different ideas to the staff. Of course, we would beaver away, developing these ideas into viable courses of action. During the next meeting, when presented with our draft ideas, he would usually say, “Oh, I did not mean for you to work on that. I was just thinking out loud.”
He never understood that as a General Officer, people paid attention to all that he said and would take his words seriously and start preparing to execute them immediately. His loquacious tendency caused no end of problems for us. Sadly, he was an eminently forgettable General and never attained a second star. And then there was General Austin.
You may have heard of him. Now retired, he is being considered as the next Secretary of Defense. I served on his staff during my last tour in Iraq. He was the exact opposite of the previous General. During a briefing, he rarely spoke and then only to ask a penetrating question or two. He guarded his speech very carefully. He spoke so infrequently that we often longed for a few sentences of guidance; but, he never changed. He well understood that when he spoke, someone would start taking action. So, he kept his own counsel, knowing that in our situation lives hung in the balance. We need more of such an attitude.
We bandy our words about with very little consideration. We rarely stop to think about the repercussion of what we say…or forward…or share. We are responsible for the results of our speech, digital or verbal. Influencing others is a grave responsibility. That is why James, the brother of Jesus, told us to be careful when serving as a teacher. As he said, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness,” James 3:1 (ESV). We must carefully consider what we say. Those of us with influence and audience must take care to communicate well and to communicate worthwhile information. The greater our level of influence, the greater care we must take. We cannot be reckless with our words and then hide behind the fiction of freedom of speech. With freedom comes responsibility. We must seek and use discernment.
This discernment should include those things we take in. We should avoid the contemporary cultural penchant for only listening to things that please us or fit our particular worldview. When our total intake merely reinforces our biases we damage our ability to helpfully engage in the dialogue needed to address the problems that vex our country. We must gird up our intellectual loins and find an input that delivers truth and not just those things that fit our position. Echo chambers do not educate. They are propaganda organs, and as such, are not truly accountable for the material they put out. When we share or forward those items without ascertaining their veracity, we participate in rumor and innuendo.
Participating in rumor is no minor thing. Rumor diverts a community away from real issues, prolonging solutions, and separating communities. Rumor keeps us from the effective communication needed to find common ground and executable solutions. We must make sure that we take in and share truth. When we orient our lives around truth-finding solutions becomes less problematic. When helping Israel better understand how to live in community, the Lord told them, “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness,” Exodus 23:1 (ESV). Sharing in rumor, even ones that seem to support our position, damages our ability to work together with others to find appropriate solutions to challenges, not to mention degrading our witness as Christians. Paul echoes this in his letter to Timothy, saying, “23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels,” II Timothy 2:23 (ESV). If we dedicate ourselves to truth and shun rumor, we better represent our Lord and will find working together much easier.
Ultimately, we will only find success when working together. We must dedicate ourselves to peace and finding equitable solutions. Shouting at each other across divides created by intransigent and slavish dedication to a particular view will not solve anything. Instead, we ought to listen more and be willing to cooperate more, working to find solutions that provide equitable results for as many people as possible. This is challenging and often requires sacrifice and always requires patience. Our current situation requires this. We cannot continue to limp along like this. We must find our way to a better place.
