FRACTURED
Reading through Pew Research Center's latest findings, two headlines stood out to me: the American public remains split on whether past leadership decisions were beneficial, and a staggering 70% believe that COVID-19 deepened our divisions rather than brought us together.
As a Christian, these statistics do not just speak to trends — they reveal something more profound about our nation's spiritual and relational state.
The division is nothing new. Throughout history, people have struggled to find common ground, whether in families, communities, or entire nations. Even the early Church faced disagreements about how to live out Jesus's teachings.
But what makes division so painful is that it often hardens our hearts, making it harder to listen, extend grace, and seek understanding.
The pandemic, in particular, was a time when we had an opportunity to come together in love and care for one another. Instead, for many, it became a season of isolation — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Friendships were strained, families experienced tension, and churches struggled to navigate challenges. Now, looking back, most Americans agree: instead of drawing us closer, the experience seemed to push us further apart.
As followers of Christ, we are called to be peacemakers, to heal rather than wound. That does not mean we have to agree on everything, that we should ignore difficult conversations, but it does mean choosing love over resentment, understanding over judgment, and grace over hostility.
Jesus prayed for unity among His followers — not a shallow agreement on every issue, but a deep, abiding love that transcends differences. That kind of love takes work. It requires humility, patience, and a willingness to see others as beloved children of God, even when we disagree.
The question now is: where do we go from here? How do we begin mending what feels broken? Maybe it starts in small ways — by reaching out to someone we have grown distant from, by choosing to listen instead of assuming, and by focusing more on what unites us rather than what divides us.
Because in the end, true unity is not about seeing everything the same way — it is about walking in love, even when we do not.
As a Christian, these statistics do not just speak to trends — they reveal something more profound about our nation's spiritual and relational state.
The division is nothing new. Throughout history, people have struggled to find common ground, whether in families, communities, or entire nations. Even the early Church faced disagreements about how to live out Jesus's teachings.
But what makes division so painful is that it often hardens our hearts, making it harder to listen, extend grace, and seek understanding.
The pandemic, in particular, was a time when we had an opportunity to come together in love and care for one another. Instead, for many, it became a season of isolation — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Friendships were strained, families experienced tension, and churches struggled to navigate challenges. Now, looking back, most Americans agree: instead of drawing us closer, the experience seemed to push us further apart.
As followers of Christ, we are called to be peacemakers, to heal rather than wound. That does not mean we have to agree on everything, that we should ignore difficult conversations, but it does mean choosing love over resentment, understanding over judgment, and grace over hostility.
Jesus prayed for unity among His followers — not a shallow agreement on every issue, but a deep, abiding love that transcends differences. That kind of love takes work. It requires humility, patience, and a willingness to see others as beloved children of God, even when we disagree.
The question now is: where do we go from here? How do we begin mending what feels broken? Maybe it starts in small ways — by reaching out to someone we have grown distant from, by choosing to listen instead of assuming, and by focusing more on what unites us rather than what divides us.
Because in the end, true unity is not about seeing everything the same way — it is about walking in love, even when we do not.