Love Well in a Divided Culture: Navigate Challenging Times With Jesus' LoveSample

Love Well in a Divided Culture: The Emotional Battleground of Difficult Conversations

Why do difficult conversations happen? Most often, there are differing opinions or points of view between two parties. There are differing worldviews: you have a godly worldview and a worldly worldview. The godly worldview is based on God’s Word and His commandments on how to love and live on this side of heaven. The worldly worldview is based on self-interest and the desire for happiness. Those with a worldly worldview are in strong opposition to those who hold a godly worldview.

The worldly worldview is not an acceptable way of life for those with a godly worldview and vice versa. So, how do we navigate difficult conversations with those who hold views in direct opposition to our own? The challenge is to love well in a divided culture.

In our own communities, we interact with different people all the time. Most of the time, we can assume some general common knowledge about people in our area. However, when you’re interacting with others online, you’ve opened the door to speak with people from across the globe with cultural backgrounds you may know nothing about, as well as those in your own community.

As you interact online, remember the kind person who held the door open for you at the bank this morning may be the same online user bashing you and your faith in the comment section of a post you shared.

Trying to reconcile the way in which people interact online can lead to disappointment, misunderstanding, and offense. The tolerance for differing opinions is met with such hostility. It’s hard to feel and give love on social media, but we have the opportunity to lay down our desire to be heard or to be right and just point others to God through our online interactions. When others read what we post and write, do they feel hatred, judgment, and condemnation? Or are we choosing to share the godly worldview that cares deeply about the eternity of these lost souls?

We can share truth that is contrary to the worldly worldview, but it can be done in a way that points to Christ and to His truth. These don’t have to be ‘gotcha’ moments but can be presented in a way that points to the goodness of God and the way He desires us to live.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses how we should respond to those who are difficult or disappoint us like this:

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

Jesus says to love our enemies. That’s not natural for us to do, but in Christ, the supernatural act of loving our enemies is possible. When we focus on the condition of their souls, we can extend the same grace and mercy that Jesus gives us. People may hate us, hurt us, curse us, and verbally slap us, and if our concern for them is that they would turn away from their hostilities and accept our loving Savior’s sacrifice for them, we’re more able to love them as Jesus does.

We can’t let our emotional response to contentious, accusatory, and combative words thwart God’s purpose for allowing us (His children) to still be here—pointing others to Him!

With all conversations, including online, we need to remember to put on the full armor of God. We can be prepared and ready for battle while gently and kindly pointing to the truth of God’s Word—in an effort for someone to be transformed by Jesus Christ’s love.

All of the armor of God is meant to defend who we are in Christ, and the sword of the Spirit is the offensive weapon that we can use to effectively counter lies and temptation.

Father God, help us to put on Your full armor to protect us and help us walk in love. You’ve tasked us with bringing in the truth and we are surrounded by deception and lies. As we put on the belt of truth, use it in Your strength. Guard our hearts with the breastplate of righteousness that gives us courage. Place the sandals of the Gospel of peace on our feet so that we may walk in a way that honors You and demonstrates Your unfailing love. Guard us with the shield of faith to stop the Enemy’s strategic and relentless pursuit in opposition to You. Protect our thoughts with the helmet of salvation. Help us take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV). Wield Your sword, which is Your holy Word, to destroy arguments and lofty opinions raised against Your knowledge (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV). Let my words (spoken or typed) bring glory and honor to You, penetrating the souls of the lost. As we lift up this prayer to You, help us to pray continually for all others who are bringing Your truth and love to this ever-increasingly dark world.