THINK

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES

As I sit here tonight, I am reminded of the posters that once flooded the halls of elementary, middle, and high schools across the nation.


"THINK before you type," they read. "Is it TRUE? Is it HELPFUL? Is it INSPIRING? Is it NECESSARY? Is it KIND?"


Unfortunately, many — including elected officials and public figures — do not use this litmus test before posting. Instead, inflammatory rhetoric, half-truths, and outright lies dominate our discourse, sowing division rather than fostering understanding. 


Too often, the goal is not to build up but to tear down, not to find common ground but to paint others as an existential threat. As followers of Christ, we must resist the temptation to respond in kind. That does not mean silence in the face of injustice, a passive faith that avoids hard truths for the sake of comfort, or choosing our words with intention. 


It does mean recognizing that even in the most heated debates, our calling is to love — radically, expansively, and without condition. Our faith inherently recognizes our responsibility for what we say. As Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Words shape reality. They can be weapons of destruction or tools of healing. The choice is ours.


The world is watching how we speak to and about one another. Do we perpetuate the cycles of fear and outrage, or do we model a better way? Do we allow our words to reflect fear, dread, or anxiety? Or do we root our speech in the love of God, His call to justice, and the deep belief that grace is always possible?


As we go about our daily lives, let us THINK. Let us be truthful, helpful, inspirational, necessary, and kind. Let us refuse the easy path of dehumanization. Let us seek to understand, uplift, and care for the least of these. Above all, let us leave those we encounter better than we found them.

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