The last Word

It seems like society had structured its self to praise "clap-backs" and quick witty retorts. We love to see people be put in their place and love to have the last word, even if that word is anything but kind. We choose sarcasm and verbal attacks over kindness, grace, compassion, and patience.

All you have to do is check the comment section of a Facebook post to see that people love arguments and proving their point, even if they are proving their point to a complete stranger behind a computer screen. Why are we so quick and so eager to dispute and create tension with others? The Bible says in Proverbs 20: 3 "Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling." For some reason, we have convinced ourselves that it is more honorable to quarrel than to find peace with one another. We are so afraid to put our pride aside and let go of the "victory" of making someone bend to our beliefs and opinions, that we have created a completely toxic atmosphere where communication resides.

Communication no longer consists of listening, processing, and understanding, but rather pretending to listen until there is a gap of silence where can quickly blurt out a statement we probably haven't truly given much though to, just to fill empty space. We no longer listen to understand, but wait to speak.

I am guilty of all of this and have found myself becoming consumed with the need to be right, or convince others that I am right, instead of seeking to truly listen and understand someone else's perspective. I have become so bitter and irritable because I don't want to hear anyone's opinion that contradicts my own, so I would rather argue with someone than humble myself and recognize the potential error of my ways and understanding. I would rather argue with someone than admit that maybe they have some important truth I need to consider.

I believe that most of the problems we have on this planet come down to a lack of proper communication. We all believe we are right and don't want to hear what anyone else has to say, so we go forth with our agendas and ignore the needs, opinions, and perspective of others. In order to grow as a culture and as a global community, we need to focus on and practice genuine communication. Let's set our pride aside and truly listen to one another. Let's be patient, quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Let's stop this compulsion to respond immediately. Let's think things through before we jump down the throat of someone who has a differing point of view than ourselves and approach conversations with a mindset of peace instead of correction.