What Remains of the Destruction

There are times when I write in order to workout my own thoughts and emotions because it is hard for me to grasp what I see around me and it’s the only way I know how to try and process the events, and in what I see now, the carnage. I am writing this less than 48 hours after the results of the 2016 presidential election and the view is bleak.  I don’t say this because of the individual that has been elected into office but because of all the anger, hatred, mocking, gloating, screaming and shouting that is in almost every social media post, news report, and conversation that is within earshot. 

I understand the emotion that has built up over the course of the last two years with every commercial, debate, rally, news story, and online article that has decried every single candidate with expletive after expletive.  Emotions that push neighbors, co-workers, and even fellow church members to ridicule and mock one another because of differing beliefs and opinions.  Emotions that bring us to the point of publicly questioning the strength of each other’s faith, patriotism, ethical beliefs, and attitudes towards racism, sexism, xenophobic, homophobic outlooks on the world.  I am most troubled by hearing aand reading these statements from people who proclaimed more than their fair share of “amens” in churches led by pastors who have reiterated to congregations of the dangers of this very behavior over the past several months. 

 But when your emotion drives you to call any candidate, political supporter, or anyone else the thousands of hateful, dirty, disgusting words that have been uttered over the last two years……what does that make you?  A Republican?  A Democrat?  A Christian?  A Pro-Life or Pro-Choice advocate?  A Patriot?  Maybe, but so what? When you condemn, criticize, chastise and berate the very people that are created and loved by God, what does that make you?  When you lose your temper and scream at those expressing their opinions...exercising the very rights you hold so dear to your own heart....what does that make you?

When you’re angry that the world around you hates Jesus and doesn’t eve recognize Him anymore…..maybe it’s because they don’t see Jesus in you?  Maybe the Jesus that you proclaim is in control of this nation no matter who is in the White House, is weeping as He sees what his children are saying and doing to each another. 

Maybe…there is a time to just….be….quiet.  And now, so will I.

What's your story?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that everyone has a story. While it may not be a Hollywood blockbuster set to score written by John Williams, it’s still there. This is a story that no one else has ever heard because this story can only be told by your own words about events that have only been seen through your eyes. The trouble is, we spend a huge amount of time avoiding neighbors and co-workers purposely just so we don’t have to tell a story that they might desperately need to hear. 

Sometimes the story doesn't have a happy ending and it may still have some blank chapters at the end, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth sharing. The stories that we bottle-up inside ourselves shove into the deepest areas of our heart are the ones that someone around you desperately needs to hear. Maybe it’s the experience of losing a family member or close friend that broke you to pieces, or it’s the loss of a relationship or job. Maybe it’s finding your life’s passion after years of a bitter and regret-filled life. Whatever your story is, whether it’s on chapter 3 or 80, it’s not meant for you alone. You see, my story isn’t just written by me. Everyone around me: family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, people in my church, are all part of my story. Their experiences, laughter, tears, dreams, regrets and hope is what helps me see the world around me in a way that my eyes aren’t able to see, but only if they tell me their story. And just as my life is richer with their lives, I owe it to them to share my story. It’s not just my story and their story, but it’s our story.

 So what next? Don’t wait until you have a typewriter, don’t proofread over and over just waiting for the perfect words, and don’t wait until you complete three years of Toastmasters. Sit down and write or just talk to someone, but whatever you do, just share. So, what’s your story?