My Soapbox . . .

I will usually try to keep this blog as an instrument of teaching, but today is a soapbox day.  If you choose to step away now, I fully understand, otherwise - hang-on and here we go.

I am 58 years old.  I have lived in my hometown all my life.  I have traveled a bit.  Some for pleasure, some on mission trips and some for business.  I have met and known a fair amount of people in my short life. (Rabbit hole - short life is relative to the length of time that you have lived.  People I use to consider old I now consider young.  The older I get the younger old people become.) But I do not understand people today.

I was reading a post this weekend about a restaurant owner who posted his views and opinions on one of the social media sights. (Rabbit hole - if you run a business, the quickest way to kill it in this day and time to to become political.  Look at what is happening to the NFL right now.)  There was such an uproar over this person's opinions; he lost employees because they feared for their lives, he had people say that they would burn the business down with them in it, and on and on. Ultimately, the owner had to close his business.  The hate shown in the comments to the business owner amazes me.  I don't understand that type of reaction.

We live in a society today, that cries for tolerance.  Yet, no one understands what tolerance means anymore.  By definition, tolerance is defined as "a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry."  Yet what I see called tolerance is nothing but a demand to agree with one's opinions.  For the most part, those that I see calling for tolerance are the true bigots.

Just maybe we should look at a different way to arrive at a middle ground for blending our differences.  A way to agree to disagree and still be able to move forward and be friends.  Respecting someone else's opinions is a great start.  Opinions are like finger prints, pretty much everyone has one and they are usually different.  I can treat you with respect and not agree with you.  I can care about you and not agree with the life style that you lead.  I can stand side by side with you and not agree with who you voted for.  If respect is the beginning then love is the completion of this journey.  Love is one of the greatest things that we can offer to our society today.  God's word states - "Above all, put on love — the perfect bond of unity." Colossians 3:14

For now, I climb down off my soapbox.  I hope that each one who reads this has a blessed day.