In 1969, public broadcasting was on the chopping block. The proposal was to cut funding in half—from $20 million down to $10 million. The Senate hearing was chaired by Senator John Pastore, a sharp, no-nonsense questioner who wasn’t easily impressed. Fred Rogers was given only a few minutes. He didn’t argue. He didn’t match the tension. He used those minutes to talk about children, and he recited a simple song from his program: “What do you do with the mad that you feel…?” He explained how his show helped kids name anger and handle it without hurting themselves or others. The room softened. Pastore finally said, “I think it’s wonderful… Looks like you just earned the $20 million.” The moment turned because Rogers redirected the conversation to what mattered most.

Now, look at Jesus in Mark 10:1–12. He’s in a charged region, and a hot-button question is thrown at Him. It’s a trap. He could have dissected the politics, won the debate, silenced the critics. Instead, He asks a question that moves everyone toward God: “What did Moses command you?” He redirects the room from controversy to Scripture, from “Who’s right?” to “What did God intend from the beginning?”

That’s a pattern for us. In a polarized world, people try to draft us into their fights—at the dinner table, online, even in church meetings. We feel the pull to pick a side, fire back, and prove a point. Jesus shows a different way. Not avoidance—redirection. Bring the heat to God. Bring the argument to the Word. Ask, “What has God said? What is God’s design for our flourishing?”

So here’s a practice you can start this week. When a conversation gets tense, pause and ask one redemptive question. “Where does Scripture lead us here?” or “If we begin with God’s heart, what would faithful love require?” That single move—like Rogers’ little song—can change the temperature. It invites people out of winning and into wisdom.

Another practice: tune your heart before you talk. Jesus anchors the discussion in Genesis—creation, covenant, God’s intention. Before you wade into a tough topic with your spouse, your teen, your small group, read a short psalm aloud, or pray the Lord’s Prayer together. Aim at God first, then step into the conversation. When the center is God, the edges make more sense.

And finally, trust God with outcomes. Rogers couldn’t control the vote; he could control his focus. Jesus didn’t control His opponents; He set the terms—God’s terms. You may not “win” every argument when you choose this path, but you will honor the Lord of the room. And often, God surprises us. Skeptics soften. Meetings end in prayer. Homes get quieter, kinder.

Let’s be God’s people who move rooms from heat to light. Like Jesus, let’s make a habit of pointing to the Word, the Presence, the Design of God. “What did Moses command you?” Let that question become our reflex, our witness, and our peace.