Can't We All Just Get Along

What happens when love and faith intersect in a world that's often divided? Join us as we explore this profound intersection, sharing stories and insights that challenge the status quo. Through heartfelt discussions, we express our concerns about the growing negativity on social media and the struggle to maintain kindness and respect, even among believers. February, a month often associated with love, serves as a poignant reminder of the gap between our ideals and reality. We tackle how disagreements shouldn't equate to unkindness and how embodying the love of Jesus can create a more compassionate community around us.

Our journey doesn't stop there. We navigate the complex terrain of political differences, demonstrating that unity is possible without uniformity. Hear how a courageous couple from our church sustains their marriage amid opposing political views by grounding their relationship in shared faith and mutual respect. Our reflections extend beyond personal relationships to the broader human experience, where shared challenges and aspirations unite us. We express our hope for a more connected world, fueled by laughter and friendship, and invite you to join us in nurturing understanding and unity across generations.

Chapters

• 0:03 Finding Love and Unity Through Faith
• 3:52 Seeking Unity Amid Political Differences
• 18:23 Finding Unity Through Shared Experiences

Transcript

00:03 - Jess (Host)
Hey, welcome back, or welcome to the Jesus Fix it podcast, the show where we talk about life, the ups, the downs, a little pop culture and everything in between. 

00:12 - Steph (Host)
I'm Jess and I'm Steph, every other week we dive into the things we're asking Jesus to fix. And let's be real, there's a lot. You can always count on us to keep it real. 

00:24 - Jess (Host)
Share some laughs with us and maybe a few tears, as we tackle the big and small stuff with faith and honesty. So grab your coffee and let's get into it. This is supposed to be the month of all things love and kindness, but I have to ask where is the stinking love? Oh, where is the love. Where is the love, the love? Who sang that? 

00:51 - Jess (Host)
Probably somebody I'm not supposed to know. 

00:53 - Jess (Host)
Probably, I think, and I knew it too. Oh, isn't that Blank Eyed Peas? Okay, you know what. We're still Okay, you know what. But seriously though, all right, so there is so much division right now and I know the state of the world has been like that for a long time let's just be real. 

01:15 - Steph (Host)
It has for a very long time. 

01:17 - Jess (Host)
Very long, but now more than ever, we are so divided, divided and it breaks my heart Every single day. Social media is so dark, darker than ever these days, and I don't know what I expected this month. I don't know if I thought that, oh, february 1st, it's just going to be, ah. 

01:44 - Steph (Host)
Yeah, don't we all think that when February rolls? 

01:48 - Jess (Host)
around. I know, and I'm just going to be honest, and y'all, please don't come for me when I say this I expected more from a lot of us believers and I'm not saying all believers. So hear my heart when I say this, and I'm talking to myself too, because, look, the Lord is working on my heart too, because some days I'm not the believer I should be. I know this, but there are a lot of days that I know we can do better. 

02:18 - Steph (Host)
It's so heavy and hard to hear that sometimes, but we can do better. I think as Christians, we're losing our sense of. Everything that we do should be to point others towards Jesus. Yeah, and when we have conversations, just because you don't agree with someone doesn't mean that you need to come at them. 

02:42 - Jess (Host)
I'm trying not to cry right now because you can not feel the same way, you cannot have the same viewpoints. But you can still be kind, you can still be respectful. Now some things are off the table, like you can't be a racist and I still respect you, obviously, but I'm not just going to come up to you and disrespect you. 

03:06 - Steph (Host)
You know what I'm saying just going to come up to you and disrespect you. You know what I'm saying. You're not going to come at the person but you're going to want to try and help them see where you're coming from and why what they're saying is not right. 

03:15 - Jess (Host)
Yeah, and as a believer, I'm still going to want you to see Jesus in me. And so what I'm seeing now breaks my heart, because it's almost like, well, if you don't think like me, then, oh, my word, the just meanness. It's just crazy and I'm like how do we fix this and how did we get here? 

03:41 - Steph (Host)
Man, all the songs going through my head. I know Because that 1996, a musical came out called rent and one of the songs starts out with that. How did we get here? Yeah, and talking about disunity in 1996, yeah, how many years later are we? Do the math? I'm not, but we're still here. I was looking up being unified. What is unity? Okay, so this is a definition of unity. It's emphasizing that unity doesn't mean uniformity. It's about coming together despite your differences, whether it's a cultural, ideological or personal idea. It's about finding common ground and working towards a shared goal, even if those goals vary from person to person. I think those are some really important words there. Despite your differences, you're still finding that common ground. And when I'm having conversations with friends that definitely think different than me especially, I'm going to put it out there politically yeah, that's the biggest thing. Definitely think different than me, especially, I'm going to put it out there politically. Yeah, that's the thing. 

04:49
And that's really where it all seems to be the root of there you go. Yes, yep, the root of it is that I'm going to find common ground, right, I want to see. Okay, we might not agree on whatever it is, so let's get away from that. So what can we agree on? Yeah, so let's get away from that. So what can we agree on? For a lot of my friends, it's we agree that we love musicals. Obviously, I just used a rent reference Like love musicals, been in them together, shared time together with it, and that's where you can come together right now, over me. 

05:21 - Jess (Host)
Over me. Yes, you don't like my singing. This is my podcast. I get to sing there you go. Okay, just playing. Please keep listening. I won't sing anymore. I probably will. Steph can sing I can't so whatever, but yeah, listen on her behalf, not for me, okay. 

05:46 - Steph (Host)
But it is kindness to say that you want people to listen because I'm singing. 

05:48 - Jess (Host)
And I love you. 

05:49 - Steph (Host)
Yes, very much so it goes both ways. But you know, that's just it. We can come on common ground that we have all these musical references. 

05:56 - Jess (Host)
See what we're doing. I'm grief. So there is this couple that goes to my church. If you listen long enough, you know we really don't get political. So I'm just going to put this out there. This is not us getting political, I'm just telling you about this really sweet couple at my church. So when you hear this, don't say Jess and Steph feel this way. We're not telling you how we feel Always have to do this disclaimer when. 

06:21 - Jess (Host)
I say anything. 

06:22 - Jess (Host)
Okay. So this couple at my church the husband voted for Kamala, Okay, the wife voted for Trump, Okay. And I'm like whoa, how does that work? That's really a house divided right, yeah. 

06:37
And they were telling us well, we don't talk politics at all, because whenever we discussed our political views, we went to bed mad, because we are both going to believe what we believe and we are both very much into politics and we are not budging. 

07:01
We did not budge on who we wanted to vote for, and you cannot change our minds. So what we agree on is we are not going to talk politics, we are going to always go to bed giving each other a goodnight, kiss and happy, and so we just pray for whoever won. We agreed that we would pray for that person's presidency. That's what it was going to be and that's what they did. So they just agreed to not talk politics. They talked Jesus, and that's what it is and that's how they do it. And is that what society needs to do? I mean honestly, if this married couple can do it and still stay married and still love each other, then how are so many people in this world walking around here who don't know each other and have different political views, hating each other, that's the word. 

08:02
And this married couple who have two strong and when I tell y'all, y'all, I'm not exaggerating, they are on two I mean, how opposite can you be? I mean, the hubby votes Kamala and the wifey votes Trump, and they still go to bed together each night and they still love each other. They've been married for, I think, like 40 years, wow. So how opposite can you be? And they still love each other. But you have complete strangers who, most of them, don't even know each other. 

08:31 - Steph (Host)
They're keyboard warriors. Keyboard warriors. 

08:35 - Jess (Host)
And hate spews so much hate. But you have this married couple who can find a way to say I love you. 

08:45 - Steph (Host)
Do you know what I mean? What are we doing? What are we doing? What are we doing? Christians like gosh, followers of Christ what are you doing? You know it's hard when you've got someone who is not a follower of Christ and you're having a conversation with them. Politically, maybe you're on opposite sides that way, and what seems to be the problem is that the follower of Christ is not bringing it back to Christ. They are having whatever it is and everybody's political viewpoints are going to be formed because of circumstances that they have in their life. Whatever it is, you know, but it's like we still need to think about what would Jesus do. I'm going to take it back to the 90s, wwjd, wwjd. 

09:30 - Jess (Host)
You had the wristband. Oh, I sure did Me too. Teal with the white little lettering. 

09:36 - Steph (Host)
Yes, but yeah, think about that. We joke about that because it was such a whatever thing. Yes, but still. But it's true though it is, and it's interesting because if you do have two Christians that are having conversation on their opposite sides, they can both say well, this is what Jesus would do. Yeah, you know, until we get to heaven, we can't really say honestly, I feel like this, I can't really say absolutely for sure, 100% certain, when I'm interpreting a verse one way and somebody on the other side of the spectrum is interpreting that very same verse another way, that that is how God would take it. 

10:14 - Jess (Host)
Yeah, but some things are very clear. Like it's very clear in his word. It says love your neighbor as yourself. I mean, that is like super clear. You can't get any clearer than that, though. 

10:25 - Steph (Host)
Yes yes, absolutely yes. Thank you for that clarification. It is true, there are lots of things in the Bible that are very, very clear in that way. Yeah, and that's where it comes down to, no matter what, whatever conversation you're getting into. 

10:38 - Jess (Host)
Yeah, and here are hearts like we're not blaming all the negativity and division on Christians because, it's not that negativity and division on Christians, because it's not that, but I do believe. As believers, we do have a responsibility, though, to not feed into that. And this is a time where the world is watching and I'm not saying that the world hasn't been watching, but I do feel like, if you are a believer, people should be able to see Jesus in you, that's just. 

11:08 - Steph (Host)
I mean, we carry that responsibility, it's one of those things where you should be able to walk into a room or be on a keyboard having those conversations and even if you never say the name of Jesus, because of the kind way that you're talking, the way your countenance is, people can see his light in you. 

11:27 - Jess (Host)
Yeah, I have to find this story and look it up, but it's something about. This guy worked at a place for a long time. One of his co-workers had just became a Christian. The one guy went up to him and congratulated him and was like oh my goodness, I am so glad you became a believer Me too. I've been a believer for a long time and he was like you are. 

11:52 - Steph (Host)
I have heard that story. Yeah, like, oh, oh, like that gave me goosebumps because it's just remembering that and it's like, oh yeah, no, that should never. Yeah, that should never, as a believer, never be the words that you want somebody to say. 

12:08 - Jess (Host)
Like if we could solve the world problems like boom, you're welcome, we did that. I mean I don't know what the fix is. I mean I just guess. I just wish one day we'd just wake up and the world would be better. 

12:23 - Jess (Host)
And I know it doesn't work that way. 

12:25 - Jess (Host)
But it just breaks my heart so much because I've always taught my kids to love people and to want to be unified and to try to get along with people who look different than you and to just try to love all people. 

12:46
And so my son, who is away at college, and my son he makes friends with all kinds of people but because of the state of the world, the first time he gets around people who looks like they're going to be a problem or looks like, okay, this is somebody who doesn't want to be kind. 

13:08
Instead of trying to figure out how can the gap sort of yeah, he's like okay, I'll just keep my head down and walk away because I don't want any trouble, because this is the world we live in. We don't know what to expect. Is there going to be trouble? Is this person going to hurt me? Is this person going to come at me? So instead of me trying to come up to this person and be unified you know what I just better keep my head down and just move along. And that's heartbreaking. That is very heartbreaking because that's not how I grew up. My mom was like you go over there and you make friends with that little girl, you go make friends and you go get a new buddy, and that's not the world we live in right now. 

13:48 - Steph (Host)
Yeah, I mean, as we heard at Women's Conference, Dr Joy talking about anxiety. That word didn't exist when we were growing up. You know what? 

13:56 - Jess (Host)
In the 90s and she's right, we didn't even think about that until she said in the 90s. We were like huh, like we would have never thought anxiety was a thing that wasn't in our vocabulary back then Right, and now, even as grown adults in our 40s, I struggle with that same situation that your son struggles with. 

14:15 - Steph (Host)
Like, oh my goodness, that person I'm somebody who's moved so many times in my life and been that new person that I have to put myself out there. Show me you're safe first. I do. I need to know that, yes, and it just doesn't seem to happen. 

14:29 - Jess (Host)
Yes, yeah, and I get that. Those are actually the words my son told me. He was like I don't mind making friends with people. I he was like I don't mind making friends with people, I want to make friends because he's going to be in the health care business. And I said hey, you're going to have to learn how to be the one. And he said you know, I'm going to grow into that, but right now I need you to show me you're safe first. 

14:51
And that's really really sad to me. You can't assume everybody's safe anymore. 

14:59 - Steph (Host)
You just made me think about a situation and maybe we're going off on a whole different track. We'll see. I'll allow it. It was July of 2020, and I lived up north in central Pennsylvania very small towns, very whitewashed towns and there was a group of folks who were trying to just bring unity and show that just because I look different than you doesn't mean I am different. And they literally got permits, shut down the town in the middle of the street and was broadcast on the news that this was going to be happening. And they're just there, not like a protest of sorts, but just like a march like through the town. We're here, we want to love on you. We might look different. 

15:45
So this group of folks wanting to share their life with these other people in town on one side of the street, before this march even happened, you've got the white folks on the other side of the street. You have mostly black people not a ton of them, okay, but there was, yeah, one of my great friends. His name's Akeem Sweetest guy in the world will do anything for you. Maybe his name gives it away, but he's a black guy. Yeah, one of the very few in town On the other side. Yeah, and he's standing in the middle of the intersection, so four streets. He's literally standing in the middle and he has a permit to carry. It's concealed and he is standing face to face with this white guy who had a strapped on gun of some sort like a big. 

16:34 - Jess (Host)
Yeah, I don't know okay, you know, I don't know the difference okay, the guy had on a hat and he had on sunglasses. 

16:41 - Steph (Host)
It was middle of july, hot, hot, hot. And he is standing toe-to-toe with akim yelling in his face. And I was standing right there and I know akim, I know his heart, I know what a precious guy he is and tears were just streaming down his face and it hurts my heart, even this, many years later, just thinking about it, that all he was trying to do was have unity and find some common ground and say just because we look different doesn't mean that we want to do bad things or that we are bad. And it's so hard to think about that. People want to hurt someone and not find common ground because you think different, because you look different, whatever it is. Absolutely it breaks my heart and I just think about how strong Akeem was. He never even said a word. He just stood there and was verbally abused with a physical presence across from him that could have done so much more harm. All that they were trying to do was say we're also people, we're also human. Please recognize us. 

17:47 - Jess (Host)
I think that is unfortunately, just one story of so many stories, so many. There's so many stories and I don't know if there is an answer, because it would all be so simple if we could just see each other right. 

18:10 - Jess (Host)
It would all be so simple. 

18:12 - Jess (Host)
If we could just recognize hey, we're all just people, we're just trying to make it in this world. I have a heart, you have a heart. We just want to live. We just want to live, we just want to exist. Some of us have been through more than others. Some of us I mean some of us have the same stories. We're just different colors, but we have this. If we just sit down and just listen to each other, you'll see that some of us share some of the same experiences, some of us don't, but we can find common ground. But in the end, we're just trying to make it in this world. We just are trying to make it. We just want a chance. 

18:47 - Steph (Host)
Yeah, and to find that common ground you have to just love one another. Love as Jesus loves us. 

18:55 - Jess (Host)
Yeah, so I don't know, steph, we could talk about this for days and days and days. All we can do is just keep on praying. My kids are 21 and 24, and I've been praying for unity since the day they were born. 

19:08 - Jess (Host)
So I don't know. 

19:09 - Jess (Host)
We could go on for days. Can we just agree that this is both of our Jesus? 

19:13 - Steph (Host)
fix it for this episode, 100% Jesus, fix it. 

19:18 - Jess (Host)
Laughter with good friends, no matter how bumpy the road gets. That's what's waiting for you with every episode of another great podcast, quirks, bumps and bruises with Melody and Candy. Subscribe today, wherever you listen.