Editor’s Note: Mycah Heise is a fourth-year political science major and Spanish minor. She serves as a leader for Ministry with Mexico and works for the Ryan Library and San Diego Superior Court. After graduation, she hopes to go to Madrid, Spain or Washington D.C. to gain experience before attending law school and bring truth, justice and the gospel to the U.S. in whatever way the Lord leads her. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Point.
The headlines of this world are loud, and the rush to outrage is real. In our fast-paced culture, we demand instant posts and responses. We outrage and have forgotten how to slow down and think deeply. James 1:19 reads, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” I encourage you to practice the following keys to faithful discernment, especially in politics.
- Be quick to listen
When you get a breaking news alert from your news source of choice, don’t just read the headline, freak out and go post for or against it on Instagram. Click on the story and read the entirety of it, not just the caption. After you read it from one news source, go to another outlet that leans a different way and read the same story. Learning the perspectives of different parties isn’t easy, but it has the power to strengthen your own beliefs more than reading one source ever could.
In April of 2023, at a Turning Point USA event in Salt Lake City, Conservative activist Charlie Kirk said in a video clip from The Independent, “I think it’s worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”
Many have read or heard that quote since it’s been circulating on social media. People are often quick to hear this quote and think, “Oh, he had it coming.” But pause. Be quick to listen to the whole segment, not just a quote taken out of context. Below is the quote, shortened due to The Point’s word count, but click here to view its entirety:
“Having an armed citizenry comes with a price, and that is part of liberty. Driving comes with a price. … You get rid of driving, you’d have 50,000 less auto fatalities. But we have decided that the benefit of driving … is worth the cost of 50,000 people dying on the road. So we need to be very clear that you will not get gun deaths to zero. … You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won’t have a single gun death … I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”
After learning the context, you still may disagree with Kirk’s teaching, and that is OK. But you have to admit, when you listen to its entirety, you hear a more nuanced argument. True listening demands more than a headline — it requires patience and perspective.
- Lean into discomfort
When reading perspectives I disagree with, I sometimes think, “How could they say that? The audacity.” In those moments, it may feel impossible to attempt to understand the beliefs of others. However, these are the moments in which God calls us to press into discomfort. Having conversations with those who are like-minded in my political beliefs is refreshing and comforting. But it is only one part of the equation.
The conversations I have had with those who think differently are uncomfortable, but I ask God in those moments to help me comprehend, to ask questions, understand the “why” behind different opinions and compare and contrast. When I do these things, my heart is opened up to other people’s reality. Without learning about other perspectives, we actively choose echo chambers, trading growth and learning for self-confirmation.
Jesus sat at tables with those who disagreed with him; they shared meals and conversation. Shouldn’t we do the same? Get a coffee, go on a walk and lean into the discomfort of others’ beliefs. Lean into the possibility that you don’t know everything. Lean into the humility of allowing God to open your heart.
Take the aforementioned Kirk quote, for example. If those words made you uncomfortable and pushed you away from ever listening to him, then you should listen to him. You can vehemently disagree with him, and your opinion doesn’t have to change. But now that you have listened to him and you understand the conservative side more, you can craft better arguments against it. You will always gain knowledge and wisdom by leaning into discomfort, but you will become a fool by refusing to look at it.
- Stand firm
Being a discerner does not mean you immediately bend to what others think — it isn’t the same as people pleasing. Acts 4:29 says, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”
We must be bold in our faith and in sharing the gospel. As Christians, we must pitch godly solutions into a godless world. We cannot shy away from what is right, noble and true. Think of the politicians and political leaders of our current age: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ben Shapiro, Jasmine Crockett and Tucker Carlson. Whether or not you believe what they stand for is noble, you cannot deny their ability to stand firm for their beliefs. When asked a question, thrown a crazy statement or when arguing against people on the internet, they stand firm in their beliefs.
It is not easy to stand firm in your faith and beliefs. As we hear about the deaths of Kirk and other political attacks, we can feel immense fear. In a godless world, the truth sounds like debauchery — it is uncomfortable to share. Take the story of Moses, for example. Despite his fear, God gave him a voice, and God cares deeply that we use ours.
The political world is constant. As headlines roll through, apply these principles. All of these keys are necessary to fight against the crippling polarization of our country. Satan would want us to stay silent, tear each other apart and allow these political opinions to divide us further and further apart. But let’s choose the godly way, have conversations, listen to each other’s hearts and celebrate our shared humanity. At the end of the day, we don’t have to agree, but cultivating a deep understanding would be the real turning point.
Olivia Roberts