Tearing Down Walls by Building Up Relationships

There has been much said over the past several months, especially in the Sheriff’s race, about the great need for change here in Jasper County and who’s fault it is we are struggling. It’s an effective political tactic to blame people, but it doesn’t help create solutions. I learned a long time ago that you could either use your resources (time, talents, and treasure) to fix the blame or to fix the problem, but not both.

There is only one way to move forward toward solving our problems and that is by working TOGETHER. We must unite together behind our common goals if we are going to make progress. Unity is not only a common sense approach but also one informed by the Christian faith; we were all created as God’s image bearers and can accomplish more together than we can apart.

Jesus led the way towards unity in his work of breaking down the dividing wall of hostility and it is time that those of us who claim to follow Jesus join him and lead the way in uniting our community as one.

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote of Jesus that, “he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14, ESV). In other words, Jesus, in his work on the cross, has broken down the barriers that separate us as fellow believers. Barriers such as race and socio-economic status should matter no more for those who have been made one in Christ Jesus.

The reality, however, is that our community is sharply divided, even among those who profess to follow Jesus. We remain divided along lines of race, political persuasion, social standing; lines that are colored by unhealthy stereotypes of our neighbors.

It is these unhealthy stereotypes of others that hold us back from working together in unity for a better Jasper County. Tearing down these stereotypes is the first step in coming together and we can only begin to tear down these stereotypes, by building up relationships. Relationships destroy stereotypes. If we take the time to get to know one another on a personal level, we find that the stereotypes we have learned typically don’t hold true.

Let’s put our differences aside and rally around our leaders together. I encourage you to support those elected into office, regardless of whom you voted for (or plan to vote for). I also encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and get to know someone who doesn’t think, act, believe, look, or talk like you. You might be surprised at how much more you have in common once you get past those stereotypes.