Back to Normal, the New One

There is nothing normal about what the world is currently facing. It really did not have to be as bad as is evident, but now we can get back to a sense of normal. Normal people make normal decisions at times of great need. What we have been experiencing in the past four years is not normal, even during good times. We are facing a worldwide pandemic. The decisions our leaders make can be the difference between life and death. Help appears to be on the way. We will soon be back to a state of “normality” where at least we can expect things such as truth, trust, and triumphant to come back.

Can you imagine going to bed at night and not expect chaos from the day’s news, mainly about one person? Though we try to ignore the hot air, it still manages to penetrate through the firewalls of your brain? You wonder, what did he do, say, or tweet today? We have always had incivility within our political and social arenas but before 2016 the trends were somewhat tolerable or manageable. After 2016 the social environment became very toxic. Factions from within the white house started dividing the entire nation into hard lines. The red against the blue, democrats against republicans, white against non-whites and hatred against people who did not look like you, think like you, act like you, love like you, or be like you. It looks like soon we will be able to start climbing ourselves out of the muck and mire. Soon we will be able to clean off the stink and learn what this new normal will be once we stop the hemorrhaging.

You might wonder, how did we get to that state that we just experienced? It was not like an alien came to this planet and changed everything we thought we already knew. What we experienced was the uncovering of what was already here but hidden under a thin veil covering. People said things in public to be politically correct while saying different things privately. People smile in your face while backstabbing you when you are not present. This was not new. It was what was already here.

Over the past few years, we were given the opportunity to see what was already here. If we do not like the image that was revealed, we must decide to change it together. This means that we must adjust to the “new normal” that will be created by what we know to be possible. The image that we have been faking all along. Instead of smiling in your face and backstabbing, we can look in each other’s faces and say we have issues we need to work on and work out but let’s do it together.

Do we want to live in a country where all people are treated with human decency? Do we want to live in a country where there is liberty and justice for all? Do we want to live in a country that is a shining city on a hill as perceived by the world at large? Do we want to live in a system where there is equal justice for one and all? Do you want to live in a country where the likelihood of being killed by gun violence and even by the police is not dictated by the color of one’s skin? Do Black Lives Matter? Do White Lives Matter? Do Brown Lives Matter, Red Lives, Yellow Lives, Green Lives, or all Life matter? That was the image we proclaimed to be even before this clown became our leader. So either we pledge to become what we claimed to be while we were faking it, or we just go back to the old normal and fake it again. I think we are actually better than we think we are.

There is something about us that is kind and decent. Once we get past the stereotypes and the prejudices that we were taught, it appears that people are not as bad as we were taught to believe. However, the prejudice and stereotypes that we were taught is like a hardened turtle shell that will not be to breakthrough. We might have to surgically remove the thick shell that we have grown for most of our lives. Even with that stated the desire must come from the heart. Before people change, they must want to change, otherwise, they will fight against change, even if it is good for them in the long run.

Even though I adjust my likes and dislikes toward the image of God, I do not expect others to use the same measures of judgment. Though I love the very character of godliness, I do not expect all people to love what I love or even hate what I love. But with that stated and irrespective of your beliefs in faith, there is this thing called human decency. Is there anyone against being kind to one another? Would that be too much to ask? Is there anyone against helping people who are in need of assistance? Wouldn’t that be something that you would want if you were the one in need? What is it that you actually dislike about people who are just a different shade from you? Their blood is red and their heartbeats making the blood flow through their mortal bodies. Most love their families, friends, and associates just like you who are segregated into your own divisions. These walls we have created are really just plain silly but until we knock them down, or first understand why we have created the walls in the first place, there will be no real change.

I would suggest that we are at an inflection point in our history. We can go back to what was, which wasn’t what we claimed to be. Or, we can create what we faked, which wasn’t “real” in the first place. In order to come through this illuminating phase of time and take full advantage of what has been fully exposed to us, we need to drop the façade. We need to have those uncomfortable conversations with each other about our differences. We need to learn to at least give each other the respect of being just another of God’s created beings. God created people to be different on purpose. God loves diversity as evidenced by the millions of different things throughout creation. To hate what God loves is to make yourself at odds with God. Even if you do not believe in a divine God, hate divides while love closes the lines of division. Unless you are a dark character that wants to be hateful and loves division, perhaps you would be willing to give love a chance.

So why would we want to return to the old normal? Why not take advantage of this time to fix a lot of things we absolutely know need fixing? In truth, we are better than we were taught to believe. We were born in the image of God to be like Him in spite of what this world has falsely convinced you to believe. I encourage us all to look on the bright side for a change. Let us all become our better angels. We can be angels on earth if we so desire. An angel is just someone who does all they can to be of benefit to others that you know are in need. That is not hard to do if the heart is willing. We have tried the old way for hundreds of years in America and thousands of years all around the world. That did not work very well. Why not try to rebuild the world using the substance of love?

Just a thought? Selah!!!!