Written by Mike Burnard an Analytical Strategist at dia-LOGOS
A quote that has shaped my recent years as I approach the rich age of 72 is the now‑famous line from Clint Eastwood: “Don’t let the old man in.”
The story behind it is simple but profound. Toby Keith, the American country singer, was sharing a golf cart with Eastwood at a charity tournament in Pebble Beach. When Keith mentioned that he heard Clint’s birthday was coming up, Eastwood replied, “Yeah, I’m turning 88 on Monday.”
Keith asked him how he planned to celebrate his birthdfay, and Clint answered casually, “I’m getting ready to shoot a new movie.” Keith was stunned. “You’re going to start shooting a new movie on your 88th birthday?” Eastwood nodded. “How do you do that, Clint? What keeps you going?”
And Clint answered with the line that became a song:
“I just get up every morning, and I don’t let the old man in.”
“Don’t let the old man in.”
Upon reading this, I realised that this principle applies to far more in life than just age. It is not only about refusing physical decline; it is about refusing inner decline. It is about guarding the door of the heart and not letting the old (sinful) man in. In a season of suspicion and anger, we must refuse to let “the old man in”. When watching the news, don’t let bitterness in. When contemplating wars, don’t let suspicions in. When observing the conflict in Israel/ Gaza, don’t let prejudices and biases in.
The key to a Christ consciousness is not perfection — it is refusal. The key to an authentic Christian witness is not superhuman holiness — it is refusing entry to the things that corrupt love. Because once suspicion or judgement or hatred enters through those doors, it settles down, gets comfortable, and relies on your hospitality to keep it alive.
But it is not only about who you invite in, it is also about whose invitation you accept. It is not only refusing to open your door, but also refusing another one’s invitation.
This morning I read an article about the upcoming elections in South Africa. The message was strikingly similar to Clint Eastwood’s wisdom:
“Refuse the invitation to hate this season. Choose each other.”
“Refuse the invitation.”
Through global media, political rhetoric, and social algorithms, we are constantly invited to hate people we have never met and who have never harmed us. The invitation arrives quietly — in headlines, in comments, in forwarded messages, in outrage‑driven content. And once we accept the invitation, we enter the dwelling of someone else’s hatred and anger, and we are made to feel at home. It settles in the heart simply because we were invited into a space that is not our own.
Clint Eastwood’s line becomes a spiritual discipline: Don’t let the old man in. Don’t let the hateful man in. Don’t let the fearful man in. Don’t let the suspicious man in. And at the same time, refuse the invitation to enter the door of those who seek to destroy your peace with their agendas
Guard the door. Choose love. Choose each other. Choose the new life Christ gives — every morning. And this is exactly what we must do when we look at the wars in the Middle East.
Here are 5 principles for responding to suspicion and hatred in the Middle East conflicts
- REFUSE THE INVITATION TO HATE PEOPLE YOU HAVE NEVER MET
Another favourite quote to consider is the following:
“One of the biggest mistakes in life is to allow yourself to be invited by someone to hate another human being who has never wronged you. Only fools inherit other people’s enemies as some weird sign of loyalty.”
Global media often invites us to hate entire populations — Israelis, Palestinians, Iranians, Americans, Arabs, Jews, Muslims — people who have never harmed us personally. This is not discernment. This is algorithm‑driven hostility.
Christian principle: Love your neighbour — and your enemy — because both are made in the image of God.
Suspicion is not a fruit of the Spirit. Hatred is not a Christian virtue.
- REFUSE THE INVITATION TO ADOPT SOMEONE ELSE’S ANGER
Most anger we carry about the Middle East is borrowed anger. It is not ours. It is imported through headlines, videos, and commentary. Borrowed anger becomes internal poison.
Christian principle: “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:20)
We must not let someone else’s rage become our worldview.
- REFUSE THE INVITATION TO DEHUMANIZE ANY SIDE
Every conflict tries to convince us that one side is fully human and the other side is not.
Christian principle: God shows no partiality. (Acts 10:34)
The moment we dehumanize, we stop seeing Christ in the other. And once we stop seeing Christ, hatred becomes easy.
- REFUSE THE INVITATION TO SIMPLIFY WHAT IS COMPLEX
The Middle East is not a cartoon. It is a tapestry of history, trauma, politics, religion, fear, and identity. Suspicion grows when we oversimplify. Hatred grows when we choose a single narrative and weaponize it.
Christian principle: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Peacemakers must understand complexity — not flatten it.
- REFUSE THE INVITATION TO LET GLOBAL CONFLICT SHAPE YOUR LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS
This is the hidden danger. Neighbours, colleagues, church members — begin to treat each other differently because of a war thousands of kilometres away. Algorithms amplify suspicion. Social media rewards outrage. And hatred settles in the heart simply because we opened the door.
Christian principle: Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)
The war may be far away. But the spiritual battle is right here.
A Christian Summary
Clint Eastwood’s wisdom becomes a spiritual discipline: Don’t let the old man in. Don’t let the hateful man in. Don’t let the suspicious man in. Don’t let the fearful man in. Don’t let the divided man in.
Guard the door. Choose love. Choose truth. Choose each other. Choose Christ.