Whether you watched the debate on Tuesday night or not, I'm sure that's all you've been seeing on your timeline the last few days. Regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on, I think we can all agree on one thing: our country is more divided than ever.
Over the last few months, I have been doing my best to be quick to listen and slow to speak. (Just imagine if our candidates had tried doing this the other night...) With that being said, I wanted to take the time to share a few things I hope you'll keep in mind as we draw nearer to Election Day.
I'll start with the bad news: To live in a country where we're all on the same page may seem a little far-fetched. There's too much conflict. Too much hostility. Too much polarization. But, here's the good news: It doesn't have to be this way. We may never get to the point where we're in total agreement with one another, but I don't think we have to be this divided and here's why: The key to unity is not compromise... it's empathy.
Okay... but what does that mean? And what is empathy anyways?
To understand empathy, first you have to understand apathy. Apathy is best defined as indifference toward, or lack of concern about something or someone. I believe the country we live in right now can be a very apathetic one at times -- one where our only concern is ourselves. We're looking out for our best interests and we're interested only in the things that benefit us. Doesn't exactly sound like a recipe for unity, right? You see, unity is only possible once we start to care about our neighbor, too... and that's where empathy comes in.
The best way to define empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person's shoes to better understand their feelings and perspectives. In this season, empathy looks like understanding that we all come from different backgrounds, and that's why we believe the things we do.
I can think of two simple ways we all can start practicing empathy right now, with the election just over a month away:
1. Listen. The most effective way to practice empathy is to listen. Many of us are getting our information from one source and one source only, which is like hearing only one side of the story, or walking around with one eye blind. I truly believe the best thing we can do for our country right now, is make an intentional effort to listen to lots of different opinions and perspectives.
2. Learn that it's okay if somebody doesn't hold the same beliefs/opinions as you. It seems as if this world's mindset is "if you don't agree with me, then you don't love me," and that is so far from the truth! People are not problems to solve, so we need to stop looking at them that way when their beliefs and opinions don't match our own. And I'm convinced that if you sat down and listened to somebody's story, you would find more reasons to love them than to hate them.
There's just one more thing I want to say, specifically to those of us who consider ourselves Christ followers: Don't forget that the Lord calls us to radically love, not just our neighbors, but those we disagree with, too (Luke 6:32-35). This may look like going out of your way for another person, or putting their needs before your own, or even listening to them. It is important for us to participate in conversations about reproductive rights and climate change and systemic racism, but we cannot forget to have those conversations with love and respect. The church as a whole needs to do a better job at modeling Christ-like love -- radical and patient and empathetic.
It starts with you.
P.S. I've attached a few articles and podcasts you should check out regardless of your political affiliation. I've talked about Manda Carpenter's "A Longer Table" Podcast on my blog before and I highly recommend you listen to the linked episodes -- it's always nice to actually hear somebody tell their story from their own point of view. (But please don't limit yourselves to these perspectives alone!)
A Longer Table: Roomy Faith and Politics (Left-Wing Perspective)
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