A brief reflection on division, public trust, and the future we are shaping together
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
— Galatians 6:7
I do not think I am alone in feeling that this season in our public life has become unusually heavy. There are moments when I read the news or listen to the way people speak to one another and feel a real sadness settle in. So much of our national conversation now seems driven by anger, suspicion, and contempt rather than honesty, restraint, and a shared sense of responsibility. For those of us who want to live faithfully, love our neighbors, and leave something better for the next generation, that is painful to watch.
What makes that pain deeper is how far it reaches. Division does not remain confined to campaign speeches, headlines, or cable news panels. It spills into dinner-table conversations, friendships, churches, schools, and communities. When public life becomes more about defeating opponents than serving the common good, trust begins to fray. Over time, people do not just lose confidence in leaders. They begin to lose confidence in one another.
The Cost of Constant Division
One of the things that troubles me most is how quickly division can become normal. When people are constantly encouraged to see those on the other side as enemies, it becomes harder to have honest conversations or to assume good intentions. Patience grows thin. Suspicion grows thick. Anger becomes a habit. And little by little, the sense that we belong to one another as fellow citizens begins to weaken.
I am also concerned about what this does to truth itself. When the air is full of insults, outrage, half-truths, and constant attacks, it becomes harder for people to know what is real, what is exaggerated, and what is simply designed to provoke. That kind of atmosphere does more than create disagreement. It creates fatigue. It breeds cynicism. And it slowly erodes confidence in the institutions and shared norms that a democracy depends on.
The Tone Leaders Set Matters
I believe leaders carry a serious responsibility in moments like this. They do not just shape policy. They shape tone. They model what public life should sound like and what kind of behavior should be rewarded. When those with influence choose ridicule over respect, contempt over restraint, and grievance over wisdom, they do more than stir a crowd. They teach people that cruelty is acceptable, that mockery is strength, and that division is useful. That is a lesson no healthy nation can afford to learn.
In my view, good leadership should call us toward something better. It should remind us that our fellow citizens are not obstacles to crush, but people to understand. It should lower the temperature instead of raising it. It should make room for honesty, humility, courage, and a willingness to solve problems together. A nation cannot be well when contempt becomes its loudest public language.
We Reap What We Sow
When I try to make sense of all this, I come back to the wisdom of Scripture: Be not deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap (Galatians 6:7). That truth applies not only to individuals, but to communities and nations as well. If we sow contempt, we should not be surprised when bitterness grows. If we sow lies, confusion will follow. If we sow division, distrust will take root. And as Hosea warns, they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7).
To me, those are not just poetic lines. They describe a moral reality. What we feed grows. What we normalize spreads. If we reward rage, we will get more rage. If we excuse dishonesty because it benefits our side, dishonesty will not stay contained. But Scripture also points us toward another path. Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) is not a sentimental idea. It is a call to moral courage. If we sow truth, mercy, patience, and justice, those things can grow too. The future is shaped, in part, by the seeds we choose to plant now.
Choosing Another Way
I am not saying that we all have to agree on every issue. We never will, and in a free country we should not expect to. Honest disagreement is part of democracy. But there is a real difference between disagreement and destruction. There is a difference between conviction and contempt. I believe we can hold strong beliefs without losing our humanity. We can speak honestly without poisoning the public square. We can seek justice without treating one another as enemies beyond redemption.
If I have any hope in a moment like this, it is that we are not powerless in what we plant. We can ask more of our leaders, yes, but we can also ask more of ourselves. We can choose truth over tribal loyalty, character over spectacle, and neighborliness over the thrill of outrage. Nations are shaped not only by laws and elections, but by habits of the heart. And if we long to harvest peace, trust, and a renewed sense of shared purpose, then those are the seeds we must be willing to sow—patiently, faithfully, and together.
Minister A Francine Green, May 2026