“I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want first?” I have heard and uttered this phrase countless times over the years. In my experience, the phrase falls into one of two categories. It is either funny or foreboding… Or rather, it is an attempt to be funny in order to mitigate the foreboding. The good news, in these instances, is rarely good. It is really just a slightly less ominous shade of bad. If I were to choose a phrase to capture the spirit of the information age, this would probably be it. Bad news seems to be the only news these days. And, even when there is some good news, we find ways to taint it with our jaded caveats and sidebars. It has caused me to wonder recently: Are we poisoning our own proverbial waterholes?
To “poison the waterhole” is to preemptively present adverse or negative information with the intent of discrediting an opponent or their argument.
In the classic Pixar movie Toy Story, one of the movie’s protagonists, a toy cowboy named Woody, says several phrases when the string on his back is pulled. One such phrase is, “Somebody’s poisoned the waterhole!” There’s actually some irony in this serving as one of Woody’s catch phrases. Most of us, upon hearing this phrase from a cowboy, assume it is referring to someone tainting precious watering holes upon which cowboys and their horses would depend in the old west. But, there is also a deeper cultural meaning to the phrase.
Poisoning the waterhole, or poisoning the well, is a lowbrow and low-class tactic used in public discourse and debate. To poison the waterhole is to preemptively present adverse or negative information with the intent of discrediting an opponent or their argument. The intent isn’t to present positive information to counter the opposition, but rather to create a negative impression of the individual presenting the information so that anything they say is questioned or viewed with suspicion or in an unfavorable light. The irony in Toy Story is it is Woody, himself, who is poisoning the waterhole. His negativity towards Buzz Lightyear serves to create consternation and chaos in the minds of everyone involved.
As I consider the news of the past few weeks, or even the previous 24 months, it’s hard not to believe the waterholes in American society have been poisoned. The division and discord in our culture is beyond debate. There are very few, if any, institutions that have not been impacted by this reality. As a pastor, I can tell you that the church has not remained untainted. I don’t think any of us are innocent. Whether intentionally or not, I believe all of us have played a part in perpetuating the poisoning that continues to take place. Social media has become anything but sociable. Civil discourse has lost most of it’s civility. Even casual conversations run the risk of devolving into means of spreading the pessimism and negativity that is so prevalent today. I know that I have, both early and often, played a part in poisoning my own waterholes.
The well of eternal life that Jesus causes to spring in our souls should overflow into the world in which we live through our everyday interactions.
In John 4:14, Jesus tells the woman at the well that if she drinks the water He offers her it will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. That offer applies to those who believe today, and I think it should impact both our eternal destination and our present reality. The well of eternal life that Jesus causes to spring in our souls should overflow into the world in which we live through our everyday interactions. As followers of Jesus, we are well aware of the bad news of this world, but we have good news that is in fact good! While we shouldn’t ignore the state of our world, it should not be what dominates the disposition of our hearts, the thoughts of our minds, or the words of our mouths. The water of our wells should be the sweet, refreshing water of eternal life in Christ and the hope of redemption that comes by grace through faith.
I believe part of the solution to our poisoned wells is a redirection of our focus. In Philippians 4:8, Paul gives this encouragement, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” What we think about becomes what we speak about. The world could use less poison and a lot more positivity. We have good news and bad news. Let’s work to share the good.
