| Philippians 2:5 – “‘In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.” |
There are moments when our interactions with others leave us feeling unsettled.
We perceive slights and experience a sense of exclusion.
Sometimes, genuine issues are at play.
And for many, their emotions, whether wounded or angered, become a powerful force.
Brandishing it, friendships fracture, communities divide, and nations become entangled in bitterness and blame.
No one enjoys this sensation, yet no one seems willing to take action to alleviate the tension that permeates.
This was a realization that Lincoln grasped.
He found himself thrust into the presidency when the Republicans in Chicago failed to reach a decision on a candidate. He emerged as the third choice, far from a unanimous selection.
He assumed leadership of a nation simmering with tension long before the ink had dried on the Declaration of Independence. As he neared his inauguration, the prevailing question was, “Would the nation endure?”
The specter of civil war loomed like stale cigarette smoke. On his journey to Washington for his swearing-in, he had to be whisked away in secrecy under the cover of night to thwart assassins in Baltimore.
How could the fraying fabric of seething animosity be prevented from tearing apart the vision of a United States of America?
As he stood to address the crowd before the partially constructed Capitol Dome, onlookers pondered whether he would ignite the spark that would set everything ablaze. Would he yield or take a stand? Neither option held much appeal.
Thus, he resorted to an appeal to humanity. As he concluded his speech, he paused. I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely, they will be, by the better angels of our nature.
Sometimes we need to be protected by the “better angels of our nature.” We need something more than humanity to do what is right. At times, we require the guidance of these “nobler aspects of our nature.” We need something beyond mere humanity to guide us in doing what is right.
Paul had nothing more to offer in times of contention and hostility than this, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 2:5, ESV)
In a way, he was appealing to the nobler aspects of our nature, to our belief in a higher power.
The next time you feel provoked, pause, and summon the nobler aspects of your nature. And allow them to govern you.
Robert G. Taylor
robertgtaylor.com
