Lord, please help me to start remembering that I don’t need to set the entire world straight! It’s invigorating to argue . . . and I do it so well. Somehow I inherited (or developed on my own) a spicy and slicy tongue – and I surely do enjoy using it. But I know that it’s wrong, and also counterproductive.
Yesterday at Costco, while poring over the book section, a political junkie – I’m one too – began holding court, telling me why her army was brilliant and that the other side was a sorry collection of fools. And it was so tempting to dish some stats and pithy quotes at her, to taste the satisfaction of shutting her up. But then I realized that, like me, she’s a fragile and partially informed human, sincerely well-meaning in her love of country. So I finally said: “Well, ma’am, I have to confess that I don’t see that issue quite like you do. But I love chatting with you – and you have a really nice day.” (That’s just one tiny victory, though, in a long and heated row of setbacks.)
So please give me a sense of proportion, so that I’ll only do battle when things really count, or when your honor is at stake. I want to have the same quiet calm Jesus had when he went on the CNN With Jake Tapper of his day, and never said a mumblin’ word.
David B. Smith Books 