Fear. Hate. Both are rampant right now. I see it on the posts of my Facebook friends. I see it in the comments section of news stories. I hear it in the voices of loved ones. I hear it in the grocery store and coming from my television.

Right now our country is divided in so many different ways that it boggles my mind. It is like our country has shattered into a million pieces that seem impossible to put back together.

For several years now, we have been more or less split right down the middle politically. Half the country is of a completely different mindset than the other half. Not very many people can stand in the middle because the ideas are so diametrically opposed that there’s just literally no middle ground. That was bad enough.

Now, it feels like everyone has lost their minds. Instead of only the political divide, now our country is split half and half over masks and whether to wear them or not. Normally very reasonable, kind, and polite people are being absolutely hateful to one another about this issue. “It’s unconstitutional to be made to wear them.” “It’s murderous not to wear them.”

Another fighting point is whether to mandate the children return to school or not. Again, people who used to be able to disagree respectfully are now figuratively clawing each other’s eyes out as they hide behind their keyboards and spout off things that they would never dare to say to one another in person.

In the meantime, law and order in many places has devolved into chaos; statues are being destroyed; lawmen are being attacked and spit upon; everybody is arguing back and forth about which lives matter the most; businesses are going broke; and some children will go to bed hungry tonight with no one to tell them that they are loved and treasured; worse still is the fact that some children are being shot and killed as they get caught between warring factions.

In one way or another, all of these things are byproducts of fear and hate. People hate the things, people, and ideas that they fear. When fear and hate both take over there is nothing but pure chaos to follow. You end up with the complete mess that you see happening across our great land.

Everybody says how horrible it is… but mostly because of others. Nobody much wants to take responsibility for their own actions. After all… we all like to think that we’re in the right and it’s the others who are wrong.

There is also great pain and heartbreak in and amongst our country’s people. There is sickness, loneliness, disease, addiction, abuse, depression, mental illness, and death which must be dealt with daily.

While we’re being nasty to someone about our opinions versus theirs, there are people who need to be cared for, prayed for, and loved on.

While we’re showing how self righteous we can be, someone needs us to show them some kindness and empathy.

While we’re busy gossiping and telling each other’s business to our friends, there are those who we need to tell about the love of Christ.

Wait a minute… that’s right… many of us are Christians. Can other people tell? As we stand tall on our convictions about seemingly everything under the sun, are we doing it in love? Moreover, in the love of Christ? Are we standing tall as ambassadors of the Gospel? Are the issues that we’re losing our minds over the same issues that will make an eternal difference? or are they of the things of this world that will burn up one day? When you give account of your life here on earth are they the things that you will be rewarded for? Or that you will hang your head in shame over? Sometimes even the good things we stand up for end up being corrupted and perverted by our anger and hatred for others.

Jesus Christ is the only answer for what ails us. He is the only cure. He is the only solution. He is the only vaccine against our own self destructive hatred and fear. He is the only protection that truly works. I am convinced that what we see is a world and country who have turned away from the Lord. Confusion is not of God, and honestly that is all there is to see lately. No one knows anything for sure; the facts change from day to day; but we’re all still arguing.

We shouldn’t wish hell on another living soul, especially since those of us who have trusted in Jesus have been spared that punishment ourselves. Rather than arguing with and hating each other, why don’t we show the love of Christ with those with whom we disagree by sharing the Gospel with them? Why don’t we reach out and pray for them? Why don’t we demonstrate that when we are afraid we put our faith and trust in the Creator of the universe Who has authority over every single thing in this world?

The Lord Jesus took our sin upon Himself and bore the shame, torture and death that our punishment required. He did it willingly and in obedience to His Father in heaven. He has overcome sin, death, and hell for each of us. That is the real shouting ground, not the things that we tend to shout over. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 He came to give us life and more abundantly. He will guide and direct our paths when we fully trust and rely on Him. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He is near to the broken hearted. He knows us by name, calls us His own… and even keeps all of our tears in a bottle. Oh my goodness how He cares for us!! Oh how He loves us!! Let’s love one another as well.

And sometimes… just sometimes… maybe… maybe… we oughtta just keep our mouths shut about those things that will not matter one bit in eternity.