30th day of Lent

I continue to struggle with the divisive nature of our county. It seems that regardless of the issue, we are more concerned with the source of the idea than we are the merits of the idea. And if one is a conservative or liberal, then one must make their stance on the premise of who they are rather than on the premise of a good or bad idea. We are losing something as a people. We are losing our soul to relentless grudges of the past and promised paybacks in the future. We are no longer aligned with people and their needs; we are aligned with party and self-interest. It is concerning to me as I journey through Lent.

Where am I in all of this? I am at a place where I’m cautious, and I don’t like it. I feel I have to feel out the group before I speak my opinion. If I don’t do this, then I may be making a foolish choice of "freedom of speech" (isn’t that an oxymoron these days?). It is frustrating and feels very unhealthy. What would cause people to slander a person of different ethnicity or sexual orientation? What would cause people to stand so boldly in the place of "you’re either for us or against us?" Have we become so fearful? Have we become so narrow? Have we lost our love for others’ ideas and others’ opinions? Have we decided in our frustration with life that the best way is a "my way or the highway" approach?

God, help me for I am the only one I can control. Help me to be open minded and compassionate. Help me not to throw a person away just because I may disagree with them on an issue or two. Lord, help me not to become the very thing I abhor - a judgmental, negative, and narrow soul (just in saying it, I’m headed in that unthinkable direction). Dear God, help me to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. May it be so.