It’s easy to be reactionary these days. The news cycle has never been more volatile. The divide between right and left has never been wider. The diversity of opinions about a sitting president has never been more intense. And the media on both sides love to fan the flames into frenzy. How should we respond?

Supporters of President Trump see their fearless leader being savaged from within and without. “This is nothing other than the Deep State trying to take our hero down! The attack against him is totally unprecedented.”

Detractors of the President see an unstable man who is out of control and needs to be removed. “He is clearly out of his mind and has become a national security risk. He must be impeached!”

May I suggest that everyone takes a deep breath? That everyone takes a step back? That everyone calms down?

This is not the time to score political points or to win arguments. It is time to pursue what is best for our country, to pursue truth, to pursue honesty, to pursue goodness.

But are we doing that?

Making Things Worse

In my view, each side reacts to the other, bringing about further polarization and producing more heat than light, more noise than information, more opinion than fact.

This hurts us. It does not help us — and when I say “us,” I mean all Americans. Can we not step higher?

Trump’s Accomplishments

Trump’s supporters are well within their rights to note the president’s accomplishments. If he was that unstable, that out of control — no, that out of his mind — it would be impossible for him to get anything done. And yet, undeniably, he has gotten a lot done. As David Limbaugh wrote in May, “Denying Trump’s Accomplishments Is Increasingly Irrational.”

The same month, an article by P. J. Gladnick posted on Newsbusters.com noted, “David Brooks Expresses Grudging New Respect for Trump’s Foreign Policy Accomplishments.” (For the record, Brooks has been an outspoken Never Trumper.)

Six months earlier, in December, 2017, an op-ed by Liz Mair in US News asked the question, “What would you say if I told you that Donald Trump is one step away from securing a legacy as the most successful first-year president ever?”

Mair answered her own question by saying, “On one level, it sounds crazy. The president has spent year one mired in controversy over crazy tweets involving alleged face-lifts of TV stars, horrifically ignorant and ill-advised comments about white nationalists, alleged personal profiting off the presidency, supposed interference in criminal investigations and the connections of multiple members of his campaign and administration team to Russia — and more.”

The controversy has only intensified since then, to say the least.

“But,” Mair continued, “when it comes to actual policy accomplishments tied to pledges he made on the campaign trail, Trump is actually doing pretty well — whether you like the results or not.”

Simply stated, a demented, mentally ill despot would not be able to accomplish all this. More importantly, a demented, mentally ill despot would not be able to maintain the respect of so many people of character (including many of his Cabinet members, along with solid Christian leaders).

So, to the Trump-haters and super-critics, I encourage you to take a deep breath and calm down.

The man you so despise is not about to be carried out of the White House in a straightjacket. Better not to hyperventilate as you get more exercised about his presidency by the hour. He is not as wicked as you believe.

On the Other Hand

At the same time, it’s a mistake to think that every Trump critic is blinded by bias or that every charge against the president is completely fabricated.

There’s no question he can be volatile. And divisive. And overbearing. And erratic.

And just because he has become a true friend of evangelical Christians and a real supporter of many conservative causes doesn’t mean that he has become a saint. Nor does it mean that his sordid past simply disappears because we ignore it.

So, to the Trump-lovers and super-supporters, I encourage you, too, to take a deep breath and calm down.

You don’t have to defend him all the time. Or dismiss all criticism out of hand. Or see every attack against him as motivated by deep animus (or coming from the Deep State). Or tie your own reputation to him.

In God’s Hands

And so I will say it once again: I voted for Donald Trump. I gave my life to Jesus, who gave His life.

And as important as the Trump presidency is, the fate of our nation is not is in hands. It’s in the hands of God. And I can assure you that the Lord in heaven is not hyperventilating right now. Nor is He moved by the latest, breaking news.

The more we focus on Him and His principles, the more stable, balanced, and clear-headed we will be.

And that means the better citizens we will be — for the good of our nation.

So, take that deep breath, clear your head, and meditate on some Scripture. The world will look different when you do.