HOW can we be objective and fair in our discussions and
exchanges when there will always be many angles, layers and spins in
which any issue, whether it is an opinable matter or even a dogmatic
one, a highly contentious political issue or a long-settled doctrine
of faith, is talked about?
In fact, in any discussion, we should expect people to
have not only different views but also conflicting ones. This should
be no surprise to us. In fact, we should be ready for it and even be
welcoming to it. Thus, it is important that we be open-minded, willing
to listen to everyone even if we are quite convinced that one is
clearly wrong or off the mark.
We have to know how to keep a tight grip on our emotions
that usually are the first ones to react badly especially when we are
contradicted. We should try our best to be rational, and more than
rational, we have to be charitable, with the charity of Christ who
even managed to just take it easy when he was insulted and mocked.
(cfr. 1 Pt 2,23)
Let’s always keep in mind that everything is under God’s
control and that there’s always a time for everything—“a time to be
silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time
for war and a time for peace…” (Ecc 3,7-8)
The important thing to keep in mind is simply to be with
God in whatever state in our discussion we find ourselves in. With
him, we would know how to make things, even the wrong ones, serve the
common good, especially the ultimate and eternal common good.
Remember that part in the gospel where even Caiaphas, the
high priest, proposed that Christ be put to death to save the Jewish
nation. “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man
dies for the people than that the whole nation perish,” he said. (Jn
11,50)
From that evil proposal, the divinely-inspired words of
the gospel concluded that Caiaphas “did not say this on his own, but
as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the
Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered
children to bring them together and them one.” (Jn 11,51-52)
In other words, Caiaphas played along in the “game-plan”
of God for the salvation of man. God is always in control of things.
He knows how to draw good from evil. With him everything works for the
good. (cfr. Rom 8,28)
The same can be said of the magnanimous Old Testament
Joseph who told his guilt-stricken brothers who did evil to him: “You
meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as
it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Gen 50,20)
Before the many different, confusing and even conflicting
views in our discussions and exchanges, we should just be sport and be
open-minded. Even if one is wrong, it does not entitle us to be
uncharitable to him. We may correct, suggest, advise, clarify, etc. to
him, but we should never fall into lack of charity.
It’s in charity that we become objective and fair in our
discussions amid the many angles, layers and spins people put into
them. Objectivity and fairness is not so much about who is right or
more right in terms of being empirically or scientifically correct.
It’s more about charity, the charity as shown by Christ, and commanded
to us by him.
Besides, these many angles and layers can be a rich source
of knowledge for us. They deepen and widen our understanding of
things. If we have the proper spirit, if we have the charity of God,
we can always learn something precious from all these angles and
layers, including the wrong ones.
It is with this charity that we can follow what Christ
once said—that we be “as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.”
(Mt 10,16)
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