He was standing in the middle of Bourbon Street with a megaphone.
His message was loud and clear. “Repent! You are going to hell. God’s wrath is upon you.”
I was in New Orleans on a mission trip doing street evangelism in the middle of lostness.
I stood in front of him for a few minutes as he made sure I heard what he was yelling. I then whispered in his ear, “I think we are on the same team. My name is Lee.”
He never looked at me or acknowledged my existence. He continued to tell me and those around me that we were on a highway to hell. I attempted a few more times and then gave up and walked away to talk for an hour to some teenagers who lived on the streets.
We have a listening problem.
No one is listening to each other. We make sure everyone else hears our point of view and pray that they realize the ridiculousness of their beliefs. The Charlie Kirk tragedy has heightened the need for us as believers to lead the way for change by listening and valuing others who have different opinions without tuning them out while we formulate our rebuttals or burn with anger.
James writes, “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness” (James 1:19, CSB).
When was the last time you asked someone who has a different political view to share with you why they believe in the ideals of the party they support and listened for understanding? When was the last time you talked to someone from another religious background and asked them to share with you what they believe? You may want to make some new friends who think differently than you do so you can ask some of these questions.
Start the conversation and listen. When they share, simply say, “Thank you for sharing that with me.” Then, be quiet. You may be surprised. Maybe for the first time they might feel heard and ask you to share what you believe.
We must get to a point in our country and in our communities where we respect those who have a different opinion than we do without hating them. The church must lead the way.
I look forward to hearing about your conversations. I’m all ears.