SEEKING AN UNDERSTANDING —Seth Pierce

Seeking an

Understanding

Afew years ago, I reached a place of exasperation in ministry. It wasn’t directly strike various issues since the Bible speaks to them. The problem with that approach is everyone starts that I didn’t enjoy being a pasfrom a different spot on a given tor, or that I had a challenging issue, so it would probably lead church. No, my frustration to more confusion, misundercame from watching peostandings and hurt feelings. ple—whom I knew to be good people—behave so poorly It’s a process toward each other on social Eventually I decided to media. More than that, old address the issues ... but friends and family behaved slowly. To begin my sermon wildly as well. series, I walked all the issues

The source of the conflict back to the war in heaven and could be any number of progressed over a period of issues: political candidates, weeks gradually building the second amendment rights, the blocks of understanding. The LGTBQ+ community, racism, goal wasn’t to find a solution, social justice, etc. Since the or even to get everyone to pandemic and murder of agree, but to seek an underGeorge Floyd, I have seen standing. While I was growing these conversations intensify. up, one of my pastors who

Now, these are good conwas partial to the KJV loved versations to have. Avoiding to quote: “Wisdom is the issues is a strategy that never principal thing; therefore works out well. But, how do get wisdom: and with all thy we do this? getting get understanding”

As a pastor, I puzzled over (Prov. 4:7). this. I could preach generic messages full of platitudes, but Get understanding that didn’t seem to strike at the Most of us seem to like heart of what people spent most getting debate points, likes of their and follows, or getting even. week pasGetting understanding is sionately harder, slower work. People invested in. interested in building their Certainly, partisan platforms don’t want I could understanding; they want

controversy. People needing to be right don’t want understanding, so they resort to insults and condescending tones. People who seek to have their opinions and biases confirmed don’t want understanding; they want an echo chamber without any kind of diversity challenging them.

This series of sermons turned out well, but certainly it didn’t discuss every issue or fix all the problems. Understanding is a lifelong process, not a few messages. Our blind spots are ingrained and hard to identify and root out.

Three strategies

So, how do we do this work of understanding? First, make peace with the fact that you have to hold your peace. The apostle James writes: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19). We need to listen—not listen to respond, but listen to voices different than ours.

Second, we need to be courteous and graciously listen to the best representation of a position instead of holding up its worst examples.

Finally, slow down. The

DR. SETH PIERCE

is a popular author and speaker who pastored for 16 years before entering academia as asisstant communication professor at Union College media milieu we find ourselves in values speed over accuracy. Combine that with the fight or flight sensation we feel when a valued position or person of ours is under fire and we are primed to create a steaming pile of chaos.

Instead, search out the books informing other perspectives from people you trust. And get this—actually read them! Audiobooks work too. Then have a private discussion. You may not agree, but at least you will find understanding.

We live in a world that profits from our gullibility and outrage. Making a commitment to seeking an understanding, especially with those different from us, fights back against the forces trying to divide us and can, by God’s grace, help heal our toxic communication habits and open the way for Christ-centered solutions to our issues.

Read Dr. Pierce’s new book titled Seeking an Understanding available in late October from adventsource.org and amazon.com.