March 2, 2026
You’ve all been following my blog for some time, knowing that, with the exception of my nightly posts, I’m rarely on Facebook these days. Too much drama, ya know? But in a moment of weakness, I clicked that blue icon and got caught up in an acquaintance’s post. Say it ain’t so, but it was a doozy!
My friend wrote a highly charged discourse that delineated two diametrically opposed “visions for America”: one he labeled as fascist, and the other as grassroots patriotism. Honestly, I wish I hadn’t clicked; I wish I’d just scrolled on by and quickly closed my browser tab. But nope, that’s not what I did. I engaged.
I replied to my buddy saying, in essence, that I don’t think it’s intellectually or spiritually honest to box people into the two categories he’d proposed. I might rename his post “Ross’s Ten Theses”—which, in the spirit of Martin Luther, he nailed to Facebook’s unholy doors.
But instead of arguing back—for which I am so glad—he replied seeking to understand my perspective. When I didn’t respond quickly enough (again, I loathe Facebook; it’s merely a means to an end), he sent me a private message to continue the dialogue in grace.
I learned years ago that when emotions run high, it is best to stand back and think through your reply. So, I waited until work was done today and cordially responded with more graceful dialogue. For Ross’s thoughtful, graceful discourse, I am thankful.
He didn’t snap back, argue, or metaphorically “put up his dukes.” He did what’s rare these days: he sought common ground where it could be found through a dialogue based in grace.
Y’all, that is rare.
While Ross and I may not wholly agree on this or that, I appreciate him and his decision not to be abrasive, but instead to approach the conversation in love. In this day and age, that’s truly something to be thankful for.
Today, I’m thankful there are people “out there”—even on social media—who’d rather build bridges than burn them down. In an age when love is growing cold, we need people who bring the warmth of God’s love and fire to the table.
What say you? What are you thankful for on this 2nd day of March?