Putting “civil” Back Into Civilization

Putting “Civil” Back into Civilization

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Civility is important for our society to function.

I recently read an article in the New York Times about a friend of mine, Mark DeMoss. Mark runs a prominent public relations firm in Atlanta that specializes in helping evangelical Christians navigate American culture. Mark, a conservative, started CivilityProject.org in 2009 alongside his friend Lanny Davis, a Jewish Democrat who worked for President Clinton, and ran the website for a couple of years. They mailed 585 letters, asking every sitting governor and member of Congress to sign a pledge that said:

• I will be civil in my public discourse and behavior.

• I will be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them.

• I will stand against incivility when I see it. [I’m always reminded of the baseball “arguments” between manager and umpire. We have accepted it as part of the game in baseball; in other sports it is not tolerated. It was one of the reasons I tried to hold myself to a higher standard—Christ’s standard—when I disagreed with an official’s call.]

Mark reported that only three legislators initially signed the pledge: Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Representative Frank Wolf of Virginia, and Representative Sue Myrick of North Carolina. He expressed surprise that so few would have risen to what he saw as a “rather low bar.”

We seem to be living in a world that needs a refresher course in how to “act civilized.” I believe we have become a society that either encourages or turns a blind eye to uncivil behavior, whether in public, in legislative chambers, or sadly, even in churches.

God’s Kingdom is being held in check by any church that is quick to criticize and disrespect others. Some have justified their actions by comparing themselves to Jesus, who challenged the Pharisees, Sadducees, and other religious leaders of His day. I think that’s just an excuse to be mean and self-important; it’s serving Satan instead of God. And if Satan is allowed to get his way, he will keep us distracted, disrupted, and in constant dispute, making the church lose its power, influence, and appeal in the world.

Uncommon Key > Civility has a lot to do with the words you choose and how you present them. You may disagree with others about a lot, but how you disagree has the ability to draw you together or drive you apart. Make sure to aim for a “higher bar” in your interactions as much as possible.