Toward a Kinder and Gentler Season

Written on 31 October 2025.

Toward a Kinder and Gentler Season

by Rita Langeland
Exec. Dir. – Hidden With Christ Ministries

In all my decades upon this earth, I do not think I have observed the level of blatant hostility and anger expressed toward fellow human beings that has been demonstrated in our society over the past several years.

I have lived through the tumultuous years of the Civil Rights movement, the anti-Vietnam War protests, the assassination and attempted assassinations of multiple presidents, government officials and religious leaders. Yet this current era seems more hate-filled than ever.

Perhaps it is a function of the social media that allows more people to express their anger and abhorrence of others so freely yet anonymously, that makes it “appear” that more people revile their fellow human beings than I could ever have imagined. Or perhaps such dark loathing has always existed in the hearts of our neighbors, but I was unaware.

When the famed Oxford scholar and theologian, C.S. Lewis, wrote his classic volume - The Screwtape Letters, he imagined how the devil would distract and tempt believers away from their faith. He envisioned young demons being trained by their “superiors” to introduce certain thoughts and ideas to a Christian (referred to as “the patient”) that would take them away from a focus on God and their own character development. One of the most compelling of the “letters” was one in which Screwtape writes instructions to his young protégé to do as follows:

“Be sure the patient remains completely fixated on politics. Arguments, political gossip, and obsessing on the faults of people they have never met serves as an excellent distraction from advancing in personal virtue and character…Make sure to keep the patient in a constant state of angst, frustration, and general disdain towards the rest of the human race in order to avoid any kind of charity or inner peace from further developing.”¹

This method has certainly been effective in destroying the peace and love of many Christians in our day. We live in an era when darkness and light are vying ferociously for the hearts and minds of people. But many Christians are so angry about the darkness they see all around them (especially in the political arena) that they are letting their light and love for others be extinguished.

As the holiday season approaches, you will undoubtedly find yourself in social settings with groups of people with whom you do not share similar beliefs. They may even be your own relatives! Yet we are called to exhibit the love of Christ to everyone, not to argue others into submission to our point of view. Taking the following counsel from the epistle of James will help you in those awkward social moments:

My dear brothers and sisters, understand this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
James 1:19-20 CSB

Finally, as we head toward the end of another year, it would be wise to align ourselves with God’s Word which always directs us to imitate the love of our Heavenly Father. (Ephesians 5:1) If you know you have gotten caught up in fixating on politics and obsessing on the faults of people (public figures) you have never met…it is time to RECALIBRATE! Take the following verse as medicine – apply three times per day – and you will find yourself moving into a "Kinder and Gentler Season."

Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.
Romans 12:10 NLT

¹The Screwtape Letters by Clives Staples Lewis, 1942