Regardless of which news channel you get your news from, it doesn’t take long to hear some sort of coverage of conflict.  Whether it’s between countries, political parties, races, religions or various ideologies, people seem to be at war with each other.

As a kid growing up in church, I often heard preachers and teachers quoting Scriptures that foretold “wars and rumors of wars”.  The rumors are, obviously, true. Mankind is at war with itself and appears to be in no mood to accept anything other than total victory.  How does one have total victory over one’s self, I’m not exactly sure but that’s the view of the world from my little corner.

Every work day, I’m involved in negotiations of some sort. Whether it involves transactions involving large sums of money or interviews with icons and “influencers” who I admire, desired outcomes, or common ground, must be determined and defined in order for discussions and negotiations to be successful. Some call it win/win and I suppose that’s true and is how I prefer to conduct business in pretty much every area of my life.

As I watch world news, I must admit that I do get concerned about the position of some who believe that victory must be predicated on the defeat, if not outright destruction, of others.  How can countries, political parties, activists or religions ever hope to achieve a win/win resolution if, at their core, their intent is to annihilate their opponents, real or perceived?  I mean, c'mon!  Even with the groups that one would think there would be harmony are, instead, bitter feuding and jockeying for position and power.  This is especially true within religious groups. There's something seriously wrong with that picture.

I am of the opinion that the common ground that must be established in virtually every serious situation in the world today is the attitude and condition of each individual heart.  Hate, hypocrisy and ruthlessness are rooted in the core of the perpetrator’s heart and must be eradicated in order for there to be true peace, love and harmony.

Is mankind capable of such a feat?  I think so but only by the guidance and grace of God.

Written by Randy Patterson
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