The Order Matters

Many of us were relieved when we passed our final required math class for graduation. Some of us might be very rusty, I am. But I can still remember the order of operations that are required when solving mathematical equations.

For those of us who might like a quick review, when looking at an equation, we solve it in the following order; Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplications, Division, Addition, Subtraction.

In mathematics, when we forget, or fail to do the order of operations in the correct order, one of two things occurs, we either fail to solve the equation at all, or produce an inaccurate and unhelpful answer.

Life is often far more complicated and complex than many, if not all, the mathematical equations we scratched our heads and stressed over during our formal schooling, and unfortunately for us, life does not appear to have a set order of operations to follow for solving every problem, at least I have yet to find one.

Although we may not have one order for approaching life, I think most of will agree that the order we do things in our lives can make all the difference to the outcomes we experience. Let me share just one idea I had recently.

Perhaps much of the division, conflict, and strife we see between countries, communities and individuals is because we aren't approaching problems in the correct order. For example, if a blue donkey or red elephant becomes the cardinal or only identifier for seeing and approaching people, the outcome, as we see increasingly in America is hostility, contentions and even violence.

This might seem silly to say, or even redundant, but 100% of Republicans and Democrats are American, and 100% of Americans are human, and in my view as a Christian, all humans are children of a loving creator as as such are divine in nature.

Now I am not suggesting that we won't disagree, or have difficulties with other people who think, feel and see the world differently from us, but when all we see are the differences and we fail to see how much we all have in common, we can quickly descend to places we hoped had been left behind in the concentration camps of Europe and Asia in the Second World War.

The order does matter, and so I am inviting you to join me in trying to make life sweeter for everyone by remembering that all people are created equal, and are divine, and that all people are human and share so much in common with us. We might not be able to solve the current conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, but we can do our part to ensure that Almost Heaven West Virginia feels a little more like Heaven for everyone.

From our home in Almost Heaven, thank you for reading,

All the best, Matthew xo