Venomous

I’ve been around long enough to know you don’t bring up sex, politics, or religion in a conversation unless you’re ready to drink from a fire hose of differing opinions. For reasonable men, honest differences are a sign of progress when we realize we’ll never learn anything if we think we understand everything too soon.

I have been trying to be extra careful not to conduct myself as I have seen highly respected people do in spewing poisonous opinions in an effort to make others see things their way. High thoughts must have high language that are undergirded with reason and tolerance and not with emotion and cliche’ remarks. I realize my own “well thought out” beliefs may come across as ignorant or repulsive to someone on the other end of the spectrum of a certain conviction, and that’s ok because I can’t control the verbal assault of others; but pursuing a noble character enables me to disregard them.

As I look back on my own perceived personal or high profile “archenemies” I realize I may have disliked someone because I did not know them; and I will not know them because I disliked them. It’s a perfect recipe for perpetual ignorance and pride by being satisfied with my own opinions and content with my own knowledge. The opinionated animosity I may carry for someone who doesn’t even know I exist, does far more damage to me than to them, anyway, I think it’s much more important to be judged, not by my opinions, but what my opinions have made of me.

When we publicly demonstrate our visceral dislike for someone, we measure ourselves by our own flawed yard stick of false righteousness and imitation of what integrity really is. The world is a tragedy to those who put too much emphasis on emotion, but a comedy to those who challenge their feelings with intellect, besides, before God we are all equally wise, and equally foolish. I try to be careful not to put too much confidence in information that feeds my point of view, because learning does not necessarily teach understanding and learning doesn’t start with finding middle ground, its always about finding common ground first to build upon.

I’ve seen it all around me (God forgive me if I have been one of them) and unfortunately from those who I admire, comments that are meant to inflict damage if you believe differently, the anonymous attacks from the cover of social media, condescending comments for having an opinion, and total disregard for a differing thought. These dishonest attempts to “enlighten” others do not to create remedies for healing our brokenness, but only aggravate it by spitting out venom of discord and division to whoever is in earshot. I realize this in itself may bring a rise out of someone who mistakenly thinks this is about them, it’s about all of us to some degree, but sometimes remaining silent is just an excuse of the fearful.

In my journey to become a better man, I must decide to be entirely tolerant or not at all, follow the good path of character and integrity, or the path that leaves destruction and is devious in its “rationalized” approach. It’s the devil all over again in the wilderness offering each of us opportunities to establish our own version of a righteous kingdom. If we choose to stand at the crossroads of tolerance and intolerance, it will require more strength than you or I possess. The more we serve our own needs and beliefs, the further we believe that we are entitled to even more.