Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever. – Chief Joseph
Perhaps more than any other time in my life, people are divided. They take passionate stances on issues, often moving to the extremes on one side or the other. The most vocal among us speak publically about their beliefs and opinions. They appear to enjoy conflict and express an intense dislike, if not hatred, for those they consider to be enemies on the other extremes of the issues.
In the 1993 movie, Searching for Bobby Fischer, a young chess prodigy named Josh Waitzkin refuses to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous, but unlikable, Bobby Fischer. Josh does end up taking lessons from a former great champion named Bruce Pandolfini. In one scene, Bruce asks Josh, “Do you know what it means to have contempt for your opponent? Josh replies, “No,” and Bruce explains, “It means to hate them. You have to hate them Josh, they hate you.” To that Josh replies, “But I don’t hate them.”
I can relate to young Josh in that interchange. There are people who seem to hate me, simply because my beliefs are different from their own. My natural response is to hate them back, but I don’t. I might disagree with them, but I have no personal hatred for them as fellow human beings. In fact, since I strive to follow Jesus, my goal is to love every person the way God loves them, as we learn from the most well-known of all Bible verses: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
I also know from the Bible that while Jesus was being crucified (not because of a single crime or sin He ever committed), He said to God, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. If Jesus can ask that for the very people who were killing Him in such an unjust manner, perhaps I can show some grace to those who despise me.
It also helps me to remember that while we are in a battle, other people are not my enemies, no matter how much they might view me that way. As we discover in Ephesians 6:12, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil.
What’s more, I have no interest in fighting with anyone, especially not in a public manner where we essentially scream at each other through megaphones on a busy street corner, so to speak. Those who agree with me will say, “Exactly!” or “That’s right!” Those who disagree will not be swayed in the least; if anything, they will push back even harder and treat me more like their enemy.
Having said that, if someone wants to sit down with me, in person, and have a calm, rational discussion where each of us listens, seeks to understand the other, and demonstrates compassion, then I’m all in for that. Otherwise, I’m out and I will fight no more forever. Instead, I’m striving to live out the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 12:18: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Troy Burns