This column was originally written for the Sept. 3 edition.

Social media is not the place to look for love, respect and honor.

Although I love the medium to share information, it can be a toxic cesspool of ridiculous drama, egotism and people trying to be relevant at the expense of others.

As the devastating floods resulting from Hurricane Harvey hovering over our area hit, I noticed something.

A code of honor hit the streets.

Oh, I ran into a few rude people at the one open store on Thursday and I am sure many of you had the same experiences.

But the differences that divide us on social media and in life seemed to disappear as people need food, water, shelter and hope in the aftermath of an epic natural tragedy.

No one cared whether their neighbor used live bait or artificial lures to catch trout.

There was no bowhunter versus crossbow hunter jibber jabber.

The foolishness of goofy things we see in the outdoors world and other areas disappeared and they should stay that way.

Life is hard.

Life is good.

But life is a challenge and for many it is quite frankly brutal.

Let’s use this time as an opportunity to look at our neighbors as humans, instead of categories.

Let’s use this as a chance to give unto others.

Let’s take care of the widow and the orphan in a time of need.

My influence comes from a Jewish carpenter that walked the Earth 2,000 years ago who spoke a truth unequaled in human existence and issued a challenge of love.

Love is not a feeling. It’s an action and it is one He exemplified all the way to the cross.

How important are those differences of class, economic background, race, fishing style preference and other things we fight about in a world where 14,000 children a day die of starvation?

How important are they when our elderly have no power and lose everything they worked for their entire lives?

Let’s be agents of change and walk in a code of honor that recognizes all life has value and take actions that match our beliefs.
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To contact Chester Moore, e-mail him at chester@kingdomzoo.com. You can hear him on “Moore Outdoors” Fridays from 6-7 p.m. on Newstalk AM 560 KLVI or online at www.klvi.com.