Try a Little KindnessPrøve

COVID isn’t the only deadly virus we are contending with today. We are also having to contend with a pandemic of meanness, which is creating an atmosphere of vitriol, hatred, dishonor, and disrespect. The scary thing is that we’re starting to get used to it—to take it for granted. Atmosphere matters. If you go into a restaurant and it doesn’t smell good inside, it really won’t matter how well the food was prepared. If the smell is bad, it permeates and contaminates even the best meal. Today, the atmosphere in our culture has picked up a nasty smell. Everyone is being impolite and uncaring. They get on the internet and say things that they might never say in person. They belittle and cancel and blame others for what annoys them. And in this toxic environment, our culture is becoming more mean-spirited and more impatient. As God’s people, we need to set a new atmosphere for our culture. What are the dangers of responding too quickly to things we don’t like?