May 21, 2020
United not Divided
“…how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.” Psalm 133: 1
Columnist and author David Brooks wrote last week that “online life gives you the impression that America is bitterly divided…Online life is the place where partisans go to be partisans….” But he goes on to say that Americans are more unified than you think in the wake of the virus. “Americans in red and blue states are staying at home at nearly exactly the same rates. There is little correlation between whether a state is red or blue and how it is doing in fighting the disease……….The pandemic has revealed….a greater humanity, a deeper compassion in the face of suffering, and a hidden solidarity…”
I have always thought, too, that online disparagements and the general media manufacture the notion of division in our nation, especially in this time of the pandemic. Quite the opposite: people have come together in ways that are heart-warming and refreshing. A great majority of Americans are trying their hardest to conform to common sense guidelines in order to slow the spread of the disease and to get the country back on track. There’s much more togetherness than many think. It’s uplifting to watch.
As the Psalmist said: “…how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.”
I believe that we are showing that same spirit today.
Prayer: Gracious God, we are grateful for the spirit of unity in this time of crisis. Help us to continue to come together to win the battle against our invisible enemy. Amen.