Common Sense Reborn

This is America

³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³²Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)

Happy Friday fam. This morning, just after dropping our youngest off at preschool, I was on my way to get in a much needed, and overdue, sprint workout. As I was driving, I observed two vehicles stopped in the opposite lanes of travel (I was traveling east, they were facing west with a center left turn lane in between us). Both vehicles were stopped with traffic swerving around them. Neither vehicle had their flashers on. I thought they may have been involved in a minor fender-bender. Whatever caused the first car to stop, the van behind it was blaring their horn and yelling out his driver window. I caught the red light and was about two cars ahead of them, but I could hear the two parties yelling at each other. The male shouting at the female driver to move out of the way, the female screaming back expletives and daring the male driver to get out of the car. As I got the green light, I looked in my sideview window and saw that the driver of the van (a Caucasian male) and the driver of the sedan (an African American female) were both out of their vehicle and still screaming at each other. I could have driven off and ignored the issue just like everyone around me, but I flipped around and pulled up behind the van, putting my hazards on. As I exited my vehicle, the male was walking around the female’s vehicle, recording everything she was saying, capturing the vehicle on his phone, including the plate. The female got back in her car and pulled a hasty u-turn, driving away, shouting “I’ll kill your dumbass”. I asked the male if they had been involved in an accident and he said they had not, that she had just stopped in the middle of the road, then began to cry about how the female spit on him. The parties were separated, no violence unfolded, problem solved, so I got back in my car and went along my way. This is America.

How did we get here? What happened to human decency? What happened to being kind? From everything I observed from the man’s behavior, I do not blame the female for spitting on him. I do not know what caused her to just stop in a lane of travel instead of in the middle turn lane, but this man’s reaction: blaring his horn and screaming out his window, prompted her response and it escalated from there. I included their race, I should not have to, because it should not matter, but in America, it still does. We have the overprivileged white society that believes they can treat anyone anyway they want, and when they do not get the reaction they expect, the submissive surrender, they cry victim. Then there is the opposite, who feel like every attack against them is due to the color of their skin. I get this argument almost every day in my profession. Her action of suddenly stopping in the travel lane, with no blinker on, was the initial action that caused the van driver to react. However, her stopping for an unknown reason did not warrant the response from the male. Every action has a reaction, but this country continues to react with bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander. Why is kindness not the instant reaction? Or mercy? Or grace? Someone suddenly stops in front of you while driving, obviously stop, give them time to figure out what they are doing, maybe even see if they need assistance. But instead, we react with anger, honking our horns, or like everyone else that just drove around or away from the issue, we ignore it altogether, until it bursts our perfect little bubble. This is America.

Stephen Colbert had Senator Bernie Sanders on The Late Show last night. Colbert’s monologue is one I make sure I watch every morning, as it brings a touch of humor on the madness unfolding in America right now. I often do not share the monologue on here because some of his humor is a bit too much for a Christian blog, but Colbert’s interview with Senator Sanders is one I must share, as the Senator shares frankly about the chaos and corruption happening right before our eyes in the American Government. The interview is four segments, which you can view by clicking here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

As Christians, we must be the example of being kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. I know it is extremely difficult in this culture, especially when the one appointed to be the leader of our country is the exact opposite of all that, but let him serve as the anti-Christian example, and live your life opposite everything you see in what used to be a sacred office. Instead look to American leaders that emulate Christ, like the first American Pope. Listen to the words Pope Leo XIV is speaking. Especially what he is saying about the path certain leaders of our government are stumbling down. Look at the example of the life Pope Leo has lived, and let that be your guiding light. Or even better, just keep Jesus as your true north, and you will never be wrong. Don’t let the blood on Two Wooden Beams fade into obscurity. Love was hung on a tree, for you and for me. Stop letting the world distract and downplay what Jesus’ sacrifice means for all mankind. Salvation. Eternity. Hope. We need to start treating each other like we actually want to get into Heaven, instead of treating the eternal reward as being a privilege we have earned; because there is nothing we can do to earn it, however, there is plenty we can do to lose it.