Time to Think

Have we stopped to think? Is thinking an archaic idea? (Yes, I see the irony in that rhetorical question.) Do we have any new ideas? Are we wasting this precious time in quarantine, especially those of us still in it in states like California waste away because we are not thinking through what we say or write? Have we thought of the dire consequences our constant bickering, and degrading on social media might have on our current and future generation? When and why did we stop thinking? 

It’s these types of questions that can lead a person to discover something great or lead a person to insanity. It’s a difficult discourse because when we share with others that we are concerned and that we need to think, they placate us. As a teacher of teenagers and a youth pastor for sixteen years before that, I have discovered the true irony of asking a teenager what were they thinking when they did something that was truly idiotic. The real question is always, “Why did you not stop to think?” I don’t think I can ask that question to a teenager anymore if the adults in our current culture refuse to think. 

We post comments, memes, and articles on social media that reveals we didn’t stop to think that it could insult someone that is hurting. We post and we don’t think that what we post can be refuted quickly. If someone does refute it, we badger them and belittle them so we can show our superiority, in which, everyone loses, and the original poster does not even realize that they just lost a friend. This all occurs because we didn’t stop to think in the first place. 

Thinking critically means we think of the repercussions of what we say or write or post on social media. Thinking critically means we realize that no human being or group of human beings are perfect or have the answers to all of our problems. People who are able to think and process the problem in front of them and search for a solution. When we search for solutions, we realize that we have to work with those who think, believe, and even vote differently than us. That is the true foundation of critical thinking. 

We stopped thinking and we have become polarized as a society. We stopped thinking and racism runs rampant in our country both with people and institutions being outwardly racist and people and institutions being subtly racist. We stopped thinking and people are killing people or attempting to kill people. We stopped thinking and people are having affairs in their relationships and people getting hurt. We stopped thinking and the church has received a bad reputation, which is the only result we in the church should have seen coming.

We all need to take the time to think. It’s difficult because once we begin thinking, we realize where we are wrong. We just have to admit it.  We can change and become better human beings. We can be kind to one another, but it will only happen when we decide to control our thoughts and think for ourselves. We have this precious commodity of time. We need to use it wisely and think through our words, written and verbal, and create the country that we all long to have. If our leaders refuse to think, we as citizens need to start thinking and stop following thoughtless people. 

I know I have to grow in this area myself, and it is what I am striving to do every single day. Trust me. If you need encouragement of why we need to stop and think, teach one day online to students who don’t want to go to school online. Thinking is required. Thinking should be required of us all. 

We are afraid to stop and think because we recognize the truth. The Truth will set us free. The truth will guide us to think and we can become free of the lies that society tries to tell us through their posts on social media and their words to us in real life. We have to overcome our fears and step out on faith and begin to think. No one can control our thoughts. How or what we think is what we all alone can possess. May we reveal that our thoughts are ones that will build others up and not tear them down.