Reading FB yesterday, I read a message from a West Virginia Democrat who is seriously angry about the outcome of the elections. Her language was foul, crude, and offensive. My West Virginia mother taught me that foul language indicated a lack of intelligence. I'm glad she's not here to know how crude our world has become, especially in the state of her birth. All the West Virginians I know are gentle, kind, gracious, loving, genteel. Uh, all the West Virginians I know personally. Evidently, there's a few out there I haven't met in person who are different.
Today, even Christians are using language that would have gotten me severely chastised when I was a child. But, then, had my mother seen what the woman wrote in response to my comment, she'd have chastised me again for not "considering the source." She's right. The poor woman who wrote such a vulgar post is full of bitterness, hate, and anger.
Her personal post to me-which the whole world saw-was an attempt to insult me. Should have see it coming. Can't tell you how much I hate conflict, but I'm in the middle of it. We've not only become a world of crudeness, but a world of cruelty. And that's an improvement? By whose book? In spite of all the efforts to stop bullying, it's a thousand times worse than when I was a child.
Bullies believe they have the right to say and do whatever they want, and if you don't agree with them, they'll "hit you with your peace sign" as Bob Hope said so long ago. Since when did merely disagreeing with someone become a reason for offensive high drama and even conflict?
I so admire people who are able to point others to Jesus Christ without causing conflict. Apparently, I'm not one of them. I wasn't trying to convince her to become a Christian or a Republican, just being a better representative of the views of her political party. Unless and until the debate becomes more refined and restrained, we're not going to unite as a country. Trading insults doesn't resolve anything. Maybe that's why Washington is in gridlock. They haven't wised up to listening, consideration, and courtesy.
I've also come to the conclusion this dear woman is probably full of hate because she's afraid. But, afraid of what? Of me? Someone she'll never meet on this earth? An almost 71 year old who still has several hundred books to sell just to break even on my publishing costs? What do I represent to her that makes her afraid? I have to laugh when I think someone could possibly be afraid of me-God's weakest and whiniest child. One with absolutely no political clout I might add.
While working for the 2008 election, I remember talking on the phone to a man whose last name was the same as my maiden name. I mentioned that most of the Pollocks in Pennsylvania were Republican and it interested me in why the Florida Pollocks were Democrats. My question make him angry. Why? I wasn't trying to insult him, but he was compelled to become insulting. I was only interested in him and his conclusions. Puzzling.
I suppose it's what I represent that he and the West Virginia woman fears. I did vote Republican. Mine was one of the votes cast that took their party and her platform out of power. I'm not gloating the Republicans won. Not by an extremely long shot. There's still the need to trust in the Lord rather than to put confidence in men. (Psalm 118:8)
My dilemma: what do I do next? She'll undoubtedly be even more upset when I responded to her comment that I was "Sarah Palin's halfwit little sister" by saying I have an IQ of 135, more than a bachelor's degree in education, and I'm the older sister. Check out the white hair. She's right in one respect. Sarah Palin's a lightening rod for controversy and apparently, so am I, although I have no desire to be.
I have no quarrel with her. She lives in a different state, we'll never meet. If this situation continues the way conflicts have in the past, the Lord will probably convict me for not "considering the source," and convicting me to apologize. That has frequently softened a tense situation. If and when the time comes, I'll be grateful that's His desire. He knows what it will take to open her heart to His love. He knows my heart and doesn't want it to become bitter, angry, or afraid. Neither do I. God's way is always best.
Now, about my potty-mouthed sons and grandchildren.
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