I once knew someone who was very loquacious. Maybe I should say he was verbose; no, garrulous is a better word. On the other hand, lets just come right out and say: he did not know when to stop talking; most specifically--about himself. Being around him was difficult at times, because other people wished to talk as well, and he either did not let them, or he only waited for an opportunity to turn the conversation back to himself. Maybe you have experienced something like this yourself, or know someone who has.
Those who are "chatty" like this, often have a million stories that they like to draw on as they "pour forth speech". The person I knew was not as well equipped; this means that his friends often had to listen to the same stories repeatedly. This can be annoying enough when someone is carrying on a conversation, but when the person runs in and dominates the conversation, then it is completely exasperating.
Lately, I have got the same feeling when I read the news. Everything is about the election or its consequences. "Trump is bad", "Trump is good", "more fighting", "more hatred", "more whimpering", "poor Hillary", "poor Democrats", "poor minorities", etc., ad nauseam. I cannot recall an event that garnered this much (obsessive) focus since the 9/11 attacks. At least the discussions then were focusing mostly on unity and hope; today's discussions are focused on division, and hopelessness. I have to say that it is fairly depressing. My preference is to continue on with life and keep my focus on Christ (whether I appreciate the President or not). Yet it seems as though this is going to keep dragging on.
Clearly, people are hurting. Clearly, people feel offended by the "revolution" against the mainstream media and Hollywood. Clearly, people are not responding in a mature manner. Clearly, the people who are screaming for the need for tolerance are far more hateful than those that they are screaming against. Something is deeply wrong with the character traits of many in American society.
I recall in elementary school having a classmate who had social issues. He screamed when he did not get his way. He would hit children who did better than he in class. He refused to take "no" for an answer; from anyone. He lasted about three months and then was moved to a special school for children with behavioral issues. The last I heard, he was in trouble with the law for various unspeakable actions. Is this what we are dealing with today? Have we become a society filled with people who have behavioral disorders?
The biggest problem with this situation, is that most of those we are speaking about are unwilling to seek help. Behavioral disorders are something that inherently prevents one from seeking help, since there is little acknowledgement that there is a problem. How will we genuinely take advantage of the time we are in and change the course of our nation before we degenerate into a full-scale civil war? At this point in time, it appears like the only thing that will help is an intervention by the Holy Spirit Himself. New policies will not change a society. New laws will not change a society. New politicians will not change a society. Those are all outward aspects of the inward reality. Only a complete change of heart will actually change the way a society goes (regardless of the policies, laws, or politicians).
What will we do to take advantage of these days and show a confused world what it needs to hear? How will we spread the gospel into modern culture so that it is completely transformed? The collect for this coming Sunday--Christ the King Sunday--speaks of Christ freeing people from spiritual slavery, and restoring all things. This is actually my favorite day on the liturgical calendar--the remembrance of the victory and supremacy of Jesus Christ. Evangelize the world; that is how we transform the culture. It may seem like a daunting task, but then we do so at the command of the One Who rules the universe. Let us move forward, in the power of our Almighty Lord, and show this world how to obey its Creator.
