The Commandment of Love in a Polarized World
Behind every person there is always something sacred and wonderful—even if they do not think exactly as we do. Let us not focus on what divides us, but rather on what can unite us.If the entire Bible could be summarized in a single word, most experts agree that it is LOVE. The commandment of love established by Jesus is summarized as loving God above all things and loving our neighbor as ourselves. These beliefs lie at the very heart of Christian ethics.
We live in a highly polarized world, where we view one another as enemies or adversaries. One needs only watch the news to witness the myriad of conflicts—both domestic and international—spanning topics ranging from politics, religion, and sports to the routines of daily life, among others. These divisions give rise to numerous groups that perceive others as a threat to their own existence. In recent years, neuroscience has uncovered a surprising reason why we tend to perceive disagreements as threats: our brains process disagreements using the same neural systems used to perceive physical injuries and attacks. Quite literally, our brains instinctively register a disagreement as an act of physical violence directed against us. This explains why we experience such discomfort when others challenge our beliefs. Consequently, when we feel threatened—and are under mental and physical stress—our instincts respond with what is known as the “5 Fs”: fight, freeze, fawn, or fester. This constitutes a natural self-defense mechanism; thus, these behaviors ostensibly make us feel better. However, it is crucial to emphasize that, in most instances, this instinctive interpretation is erroneous, as it serves no constructive purpose whatsoever. The silver lining in understanding this phenomenon is that we can choose to bring out the best in ourselves, rather than the worst, when faced with conflict. A compelling example of this can be found in the Gospel of Luke (9:51–56). In brief, while in route to Jerusalem, Jesus sent messengers ahead into Samaria to arrange for lodging; however, they were not received. James and John asked Jesus: “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven, just as Elijah did, and consume them?” The text tells us that Jesus sternly rebuked them. James and John perceived the refusal to welcome them as a threat, for they would have nowhere to spend the night. Their instinctive response was to fight—to call upon God’s power to eliminate that threat—which implied taking the lives of those who had declined to offer them hospitality. Quite extreme, isn’t it? Jesus’s disciples were human beings, just like us, with all that makes us both strong and vulnerable. For years, Jesus taught them the commandment of love—to learn to regulate their emotions and to carefully choose how they treated others—because we are all children of God, and in His eyes, we are all worthy of His love. Later, Jesus and His disciples returned to Samaria and established deep, friendly relationships. James and John came to understand just how wrong they had been. Dear siblings, behind every person there is always something sacred and wonderful—even if they do not think exactly as I do. Let us not focus on what divides us, but rather on what can unite us; this requires our effort and dedication to view others with respect and dignity. Let us follow the way of love. Rev. Israel Portilla-Gómez (He/him/his) is Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. 2222 E Tudor Rd, Anchorage, AK 99507. [email protected]. (907) 563-3341. Ext. 13. |