Going Nuclear

I've had a number of discussions with a friend over the past few months. It is our observation that people so easily go 'nuclear' over ordinary matters and common disagreements in everyday life. Road rage is a good example...a driver doesn't accelerate fast enough from a red light or accidentally changes lanes too close to the driver just behind and beside him. The 'offended' person goes ballistic at the provocation and looks immediately to some form of 'justifiable' retribution.

Unfortunately, this behavior is not limited to the pagan population in America. I have witnessed some of the worst, most dysfunctional and 'nuclear' behavior by those in whom I placed a great deal of trust. Betrayal by a spouse (or child) is, I know from personal experience, the hardest to bear. Betrayal by one who is your shepherd, your pastor or your elder follows as a close second. Disagreements in life are inevitable. But we has Christians have a different standard when confronted with those disagreements. We are commanded to handle them in a 'higher' manner. And namecalling is not one of them. Rather than, "...go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses...", I have witnessed a 'nuclear' attack. They drop the 'H' bomb. Heretic!

Can't we, as reasonable, God-fearing men with our Bibles opened, just disagree on those issues over which we are at liberty to disagree without one of the parties going ballistic? Without using the 'H' word?

Matthew 23 contains some of those 'red-hot scorching words' noted in my previous post for leaders who speak one way and live another...who hold others to a standard that they themselves are unwilling (perhaps unable) to meet. "...Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers."