"How can you say it's a minor issue? I can never lay it aside to unify!"  C.S. Lewis said (paraphrased) that whenever someone is asked to leave a position, the proponent will always claim it's the most important of all.  He'll never give it up.

In at least two tweets, Donald Trump has blamed the Freedom Caucus for the health care setback (not permanent defeat).  At the same time, the allies of the Freedom Caucus blame Paul Ryan (e.g., here and here).  I got caught up in a reaction (here).

It's time for the GOP to stop the blame game and move forward with a new health plan later (before 2018) and get back to business on other issues.

Some basic biblical principles can clarify some matters.

First, when Israel worshiped idols, the Lord turned against them: "Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress" (Judges 2:15).  Idols in those days were handmade images, but today we can have idols we refuse to give up.  When a coalition collapses, it is not a good sign for the individual members.  It's a sign that the Lord is not blessing them.

Second, when a nation (or political party) functions in unity, it can do great things.  Gideon's 300 men were able to scare off a huge Midianite army because the Lord turned against the enemy, and they turned on themselves: "When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords" (Judges 7:22).

Third, it's time to lay aside our pet idols and unite.  It's time for conservative trolls (and leftists ones) to lay aside the strategy of offending people with harsh words.  Destructive words are needless.  Jesus said, "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matt. 12:37-38).

In a psalm celebrating going up to the City of David, Jerusalem, David writes: "How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1).  Unity is a blessing.

Finally, let's allow leftists to self-destruct – unless anyone wants to rescue them in any way he can.  But until they're willing to listen, their hateful words against Donald Trump ("he's another Hitler") and against conservatives generally (e.g., "they're racist!") will hurt them, as they self-destruct as Israel did in Judges 2:15 and the Midianites did in Judges 7:22. 

We can disagree in love, but at the end of the process, we need to come together.  Only in unity can we accomplish a positive and uplifting agenda for America.  Unity – by which we procure God's blessing – can make America great again.

James Arlandson's website is Live as Free People, where he has posted all sorts of Bible studies.