Division

 I read conservative posts, and I read liberal posts.  Both are guilty of placing blame and vilifying the opposite viewpoint.  The division is increasing exponentially.

It has moved from the political realm to the media, society, and into the family unit.  My own extended family is significantly divided.  To the point where some members of my family choose to silence any opposing viewpoint.  There is no attempt to listen.  There is no open-minded conversation.  Each is firmly grounded in their own point of view so completely that relationships are being damaged.  It makes me sad.

Free speech goes both ways.  You can’t have one expression of speech without being willing to listen to another.  To silence any opposing thought destroys any chance of relationship.  That is what makes it personal: to publicly proclaim your viewpoint and immediately silence any other.  

I’ve been silenced more than once by the same person, and it absolutely destroys relationship.  If your voice is more important than listening, the relationship will fail. Without relationship your voice becomes meaningless noise.

1 Corinthians 13:1 "If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging symbol."

I must also ask forgiveness because I have on occasion spoken without obvious love -not that it wasn't there, but that I didn't make it priority in a conversation.  If I have done that to you, I am sorry and ask your forgiveness.