“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
(1 Corinthians 13: 1-3)
There is much tension in the current state of the world right now; cities are burning, people are shouting. There is anger, fear, dissension and social rage.
It is hard to look anywhere without seeing arguing people who are vocal at sharing their opinion on everything from COVID-19 safer-at-home guidelines, to the upcoming political election or the current protests regarding police violence and social justice.
It is easy to have an opinion and to want that opinion to be heard – to want your opinion heard loudly and clearly isn't really a wrong desire; after all, being heard is one of the important facets of the human experience. We want to be heard, to be known and to be understood.
But, sometimes, that desire to be known, heard and understood prevents us from truly knowing, hearing and understanding others.
This morning, I was reflecting on the widespread desire to be heard that has led to protests, riots and endless arguments on social media and 1 Corinthians 13:1 came to mind.
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”
This year, there has been a lot of talking about our opinions.
Some people think the Black Lives Matter movement is a farce. Others believe it to be a mission of justice.
Some people think the stay-at-home orders during the height of COVID-19 were an infringement of American freedoms and rights. Others believe it is a safety precaution to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community as a whole.
Some people think law enforcement officers are unhinged, power-hungry and intentionally single out people of color. Others stand by the men and women in blue and support law enforcement officers with an “only a few bad apples” mentality towards officers who overstep the bounds of their badge.
Some people believe that COVID-19 is a harmless seasonal virus that has been exaggerated by “the media.” Others are certain that the virus is a serious matter to not take lightly.
Some people see racism as a major problem in modern America. Others believe it is a part of the past.
What the opposing sides all have in common, however, is the desire to be “right” above all else.
Could it be that these different opinions are formed from different life experiences and different micro-cultural upbringings?
Could my view of the world be different from my neighbor's, based on where, how and when we were raised?
It doesn't matter who they step on, who they speak over, who they break ties with – it is more important to be heard and to be understood than to hear and be understanding.
As 1 Corinthians 13:1 says – when there is no love for those around you, for your fellow man, for those with differing words, you only end up being a “resounding gong or clanging cymbal.”
I'm not sure if you've ever been near a child when they are given a musical instrument, but if you hand a child a drum, a cymbal or maraca – they play it endlessly and very loudly. They will strike the drum, clash the cymbal or shake the maraca until every adult in the room is driven insane and the toy is discreetly put away. The child will play their noise for as long and as loudly as they want and they don't stop to think how the erratic noise may be bothering or upsetting anyone else in the room.
Part of a young child's growing up is learning how to control their noise-level, the proper time to be loud and how to be considerate of the other people around them.
But so many people are being exactly like that noisy youngster with a loud musical instrument. They have an opinion. They like their opinion. So they project their opinion as loudly as they can in any direction they can, not stopping to wonder if this is the time for that opinion to be addressed, or whether that opinion may hurt others.
They want only themselves to be heard and when someone attempts to offer a differing opinion with its own sound, both staunch opinions clash and conflicts rise up between the two people.
Because when you have words, opinions and understandings that are not kilned with an understanding based on love, respect and care for others, you end up sounding no better than a child with a loud, crashing cymbal.
This isn't to say people should "censor" themselves to be "politically correct." I'm saying that, at times, our opinions shouldn't be the only thing we think of. At times, we need to listen to opposing mindsets with an open, clear heart and try to understand someone who have experienced a different lifestyle then ourselves.
Maybe in some regions, law enforcement is a problem. Just because we aren't having that issue in our city or county doesn't mean someone else isn't living a different life-experience.
Maybe for some people, COVID-19 could be deadly and result in tragedy. Just because you and your family aren't concerned doesn't mean that others are wrong for expressing concern and staying home.
Maybe in some places, racism persists as an ugly, destructive culture of hate that has yet to die off. That doesn't mean all places are filled with that same hate and aggression - maybe in some communities, racism truly is a part of the past and communities thrive in unity between races and skin colors.
Your opinion and your thoughts are your own - those things are a part of who you are, the road you have walked and the places you have been. You have formed those opinions and mindsets through the experiences you have encountered.
But so have other people.
Their opinions and their thoughts are their own. It is a part of who they are, the roads they have walked, the places they have been. They have formed those opinions and mindsets through the experiences they have encountered.
That doesn't mean that you are wrong or they are right - or vice versa.
It means that the world is a big, culturally-diverse place where people can have different experiences and different mindsets and both be completely right.
In the end, how you think is less important than how you think about others.
Running the risk of sounding like a 1960s flower-child, I think we all need fewer opinions and a bit more love.
Love that is:
Patient.
Kind.
Peaceful.
Hopeful.
Protecting.
Rejoicing.
Persevering.
Without envy.
Without boasting.
Not self-seeking.
For without love, tongues are eventually stilled and knowledge eventually passes away - love is the completeness that brings all people together and to love is the command given to us.
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