Why Can't We All Get Along?

Matthew 27:39-43 NKJV

39And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

41Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42“He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

Why do people hate? Why do they murder? Why do they steal, kill, and destroy? Why do they mock those who are different from them? Why must they be insulting of people who are not like them? Just because someone else is not like you, or does not share the same skin color or family heritage or nationality or faith (religion), it does not give you the right to hate them, to mistreat them, and/or to murder them. They are not our enemies to be hated just because they don’t think, act, and behave or believe like we do. 

But this doesn’t mean that we all become minions under the control of a global new world order just so we all get along with each other, either. For many are calling out for and are crying out for “peace,” but whose “peace”? And, at what cost? Who sets the standard for peace? For there to be peace there has to be a central standard that everyone must adhere to, willing or not. And so this will involve compromise. This will involve us all agreeing to the same global standard or be willing to be murdered for being different.

But to answer the first questions, people hate, murder, steal, kill, and destroy because, as humans, we are all born with sin natures, all capable of selfish and sinful desires. But not everyone gives into prejudice and murder, but they may have other sinful practices which are against their creator God, and which are also against their fellow humans. So, what is the solution? Many are hungering after world peace. They think that is the solution. But forcing everyone to all think, speak, and act the same is not the solution.

Should there be laws? Yes! Should there be a central standard of behavior that we should all live by? Yes, depending on whose standard it is and if it requires compromise of truth and righteousness and personal conviction. God’s moral laws set a good standard for us all to live by, such as we should not steal, murder, commit adultery, slander, and covet others’ possessions. And we shall love our neighbors as we do our own selves. Also, we should obey traffic laws for everyone else’s safety. These are reasonable laws.

But no one should be forced to follow another’s religion, faith, and practices. Jesus did not force himself on anyone. He gave all of humanity a choice to believe him and to follow him, or not. Are there consequences if we do not believe in Jesus Christ, and if we do not follow him in obedience? Yes, there are. But those come from God who is our creator who made us and who sets the standard for how we are all to live. And he is the only one who has the right to condemn us, other than those given that authority under God’s law.

Basically, as long as humans exist on the earth, and as long as sin still exists among us, we are not all going to get along with one another. Are there things we can all do to make peace with one another without compromising our own faith, values, beliefs, and convictions? Surely there are. We can be kind to one another. We can cease from being nasty and hateful. Just because we believe differently from someone else we don’t have to be hateful about it. We can speak the truth, but speak it in love and not hate.

But as Christians, this does not ever mean compromising truth and righteousness and obedience to our Lord and to his commands just so that we “all get along.” We don’t alter and dilute the truth of the gospel just so we don’t offend people. We don’t soften Jesus’ teachings just to make people feel good. If I see another human being step out into traffic, and I can see that they are going to get hit, I will call out to them to pull back for their safety. And I will keep sharing the gospel for people to be saved from sin.

Jesus was hated, persecuted, and put to death on a cross because he was different, and because he spoke truth that people did not want to hear. They didn’t like him because he was not like them, and because he did not bow to them and to their earthly standards based on their own traditions which were not based on love for one another. He loved other humans in a way that they did not love, and he spoke truth to the people and not the lies so many of them spoke and lived. So they mocked him and they murdered him. 

All of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ should do our best to show other people love and kindness, without us having to compromise our faith and convictions. We can be loving while still speaking the truth to people. We don’t have to get hateful and nasty and make mean and cutting remarks just to get our point across. And we should not be fighting with other people over things that don’t matter for eternity, that are just differences of opinion. Speak the truth? Yes! But speak it in love. Don’t be hateful. Be kind.

[Proverbs 24:17-20; Proverbs 25:21-22; Matthew 5:8-12,43-48; Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 10:27; John 12:25,42-43; John 13:33-35; John 14:15-21; John 15:12; Romans 12:9-11,14-21; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; 1 Corinthians 16:14; Galatians 6:2; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 4:7-8]

Nails Were Pounded  

An Original Work / June 4, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Nails were pounded when 

He hung on a tree;

Suffered for us so 

we could be set free.

He died for our sins; 

rose up from the grave,

So we could be forgiven; 

by His grace we’re saved.

A spear pierced His side; 

His clothes they’d divide;

A crown on His head 

to mock Him instead

Of honoring Him 

as our Savior, King,

Who gave his life for the world 

to be free from sin.

Forsaken by friends, 

though He’d not offend.

He lived perfectly; 

our High Priest to be.

He calls us to see, 

and by faith believe; 

In repentance receive Him; 

live eternally. 

https://vimeo.com/125966495

Why Can’t We All Get Along?

An Original Work / May 8, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love