engaging the culture

Peace, Perspective, Prayer

/ RedeemedInGrace / 2 Comments

***Author’s Note: This post expresses one woman’s opinion. It is in no way a condemnation for individuals who differ in position. Understanding this virus is a complicated and serious issue, I have tried to thoughtfully consider the different angles COVID-19 presents as well as potential repercussions. My bigger desire is to point the reader to Christ in the midst of uncertain chaos. 

 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.” -Psalm 23:4

The human life is a contradiction: We are fragile but resilient. It is nothing of ourselves that makes us this way. That is to say, sometimes a freak accident paralyzes a man or a car wreck takes a young girl’s life. But sometimes a horrible accident leads to complete recovery. Sometimes a car wreck grotesquely twists the heap of machinery, yet the stupefied driver emerges with mere scratches. It seems arbitrary when really the mercy of God is at play. Something may seem senseless to us because we can’t see past the end of this sentence. We don’t know the future much less can we control it. But God not only knows all of human history, He is Sovereign over it. Jesus proclaimed, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 21:6).

Our nation and the world has been gripped by fear with COVID-19. Cases are increasing and the promise of a vaccine looks like pie crust right now. Yet I wonder how many believers are glued more to the latest headline rather than pouring over the Word of God? What is shaping our thinking? The news anchor or God? Who are we listening to and why?

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I cried when I heard masks were to be forced on the general public for the foreseeable future. The acceptance of this new mandate without question, or even considering the invasion of our personal freedom grieved me. I am concerned that many of us operate in the here and now with tunnel vision, not thinking of the bigger picture these restrictions may have.

Because of this crisis America is governed by public fear, causing possible overstep from authorities in decision-making. It has enabled our government to dictate what is essential (and what is non-essential) , where we go and even what we wear. This sets a precedent for what our leaders can do in the future. Once a policy is set in motion it is a lot harder to reverse. Every decision the government makes on behalf of its people has consequences, good or bad. Take this into consideration as well. Fear can drive us to readily obey without discernment.

We are not guaranteed a vaccine for COVID19 will ever be developed. For some diseases in our world there is no cure. What if we just have to live with it? Are we willing to wear masks in perpetual tension and fear indefinitely? I hope I’m wrong but this might be the leak that breaks the dam in government control over our civil liberties.

My desire is not to act foolishly, nor become an alarmist. The possibility I could get sick or someone I love makes this personal for me too. Yet there has to be an objective look at what is happening underneath the crisis. It is a real virus that I want to take seriously, yet not allow my emotional response acting as the head. Fear is power that can be used by whomever is in control. That is a fact, whether or not you believe our authorities are abusing their power in this case or not. When the masses are afraid of sickness and dying (and I am not disputing that they are), leaders can take advantage of the situation easily bending your will to their agenda.

We need wisdom right now. God’s people have to be discerning. I’m okay with peaceably disagreeing on this issue as long as fear is not your motivation. It is not a cavalier attitude but a deep-seated trust in God actively at work. This might be His judgment. We might be like Daniel in Babylon. But we still can find our strength in the One who never grows tired or weary. God is still on His Throne.

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Many people are very willing to do almost anything they think might protect them from COVID-19 when faced with their own mortality. Of course no one wants to die, but for the unbeliever this is especially unsettling. May I point you to the One who can give you temporal and eternal peace? God loved this world so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. We no longer have to live in fear or condemnation because Christ has overcome the world. He tells us to be still and trust in Him. It doesn’t mean we throw away common sense. Practice basic hygiene, stay home if you feel sick, avoid close contact with others who are sick. However, understand these measures are not your ultimate security and hope.

For every son and daughter of our Lord, He is with you, through His wonderful Comforter, the Holy Spirit. God has also given us His Word which feeds our souls, guiding us in wisdom. Take comfort in this truth and be at peace.

 

Grace upon grace,

April

 

 

 

 

 

Fight like a good neighbor

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For my birthday Jason and I rented Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the recent documentary about Fred Rogers’ life. Most of us knew him as Mister Rogers from his children’s show, with the same name, on PBS. I was reduced to tears halfway through the film, seeing this man fight for goodness in a culture hell bent on being hell bent. Mister Rogers was a counter-cultural show, and relevant at the same time.

He purposely talked slower, keeping a quiet pace for his viewers, in reaction to the fast moving, in-your-face entertainment catered toward young consumers. Mister Rogers never dumbed down his message but instead spoke directly to children as people, not half-human martians. He also addressed the current issues of his day with subjects about assassination, politics and race. It was never overt but more like a gentle conversation, leading by example.

The documentary shows how Fred Rogers used his life to display kindness to all people. In essence, he saw every person with inherent value, choosing to treat others with dignity. Mister Rogers demonstrated what it means to show grace in an angry world. It’s a good lesson for Christians too.

It doesn’t mean we ignore the wickedness of our time, but first view each person as an image-bearer in need of God’s salvation and grace.

We start the good fight here, not for external moralism, but compassion for heart transformation. The greater war within each of us is spiritual. A person, a people, a nation cannot change without the inner man being renewed.

It is so easy to become disheartened in our current climate, to watch evil win. When everyone does what is right in his own eyes sin will prevail. We do what we want under the disguise of “tolerance” to justify our sin. Helplessness sets in for the Christian so we keep our heads down.

But Fred Rogers bravely and publicly lived out his conviction to reach children with the hope of transforming the next generation from hate to love, anger to kindness. And yet we go a step further because it isn’t enough. Outward change only results from inner change first. We operate out of our own regenerated hearts before engaging in spiritual battles/culture wars. Only then can we approach others from a place of sincerity and live out the Gospel message.

Friends, don’t grow weary in doing good. Even with mass chaos in our world we have the invaluable gift of giving the lost what they need most- Hope. We are the Light Bearers to darkness.

Remember who you are in Jesus Christ and fight the good fight right in your own neighborhood.

 

Grace upon grace,

April

 

Go deeper:

Revelation 2:2-7

Hebrews 12:3

Galatians 6:9-10

 

Examples to Follow

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The waiting room at the doctor’s office wasn’t much bigger than a shipping container. We were packed in like sardines except for maybe two empty chairs. An elderly man eagerly talked to whoever would listen. He spoke with another couple near his age sitting across from him, right beside me. I sat amused and slightly horrified as he conversed openly and joyfully about the Bible and attending church. He asked the man and woman where they went to church as well. “This isn’t normal,” I thought, especially in public with complete strangers! A twinge of embarrassment came over me as I saw this man doing something I should be too.

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Jesse and I stepped out of the waiting room to find a restroom. I needed a moment to regroup anyway. What in the world had I just seen and heard? I asked God to forgive my initial reaction and help me to be like this man, who was bold and unashamed for what he stood for. He didn’t seem to care what people thought of him. Loving the stranger, a soul, was more important because he clearly loved the Lord.

As we re-entered the waiting room two women came out of the doctor’s office to sit as well. In one of the last available seats a Bible sat on it. When the older gentleman realized his Bible needed to be moved he cheerfully offered the Book for one of the women to read before he picked it up. He exclaimed that there was no better Book and that it was full of wisdom. I’m pretty sure my mouth dropped open like a fish, dumbfounded at his confidence and sincerity. You could feel the tension mounting in this confined space. In a politically correct society this was a major taboo. “Doesn’t he know the social norms?” the thought flickered somewhere in the back of my mind. His actions seemed ludicrous but I wonder if Paul, Peter, or John the Baptist would have been tight-lipped.

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Over the past year I attended a Bible study going through the book of John. God began placing on my heart a desire and conviction to intertwine boldness with humility when speaking about my faith. I wondered what this would look like and saw wonderful examples starting with John the Baptist. Now I was seeing a modern-day John the Baptist of sorts. He was plain, simple, and straightforward, even in how he dressed, clad in an Alabama t-shirt and ball cap with jeans. This man simply started conversations and spoke truth. I saw a faith that was bold, yet humble and cheerful.

I kept thinking we need more believers like this. I wanted a backbone like that too, made from a place of love for people. Why is it that I can stand for God inside the walls of my own home, or at church, in places we deem “acceptable” but not in a doctor’s office, or the grocery store, or my neighborhood? I thought about what persecution for Christians in America would look like. What if I was arrested or worse for speaking about Christ in public? Who would still stand? Would I?

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I needed this man’s reminder to set my perspective on things of eternal worth. It wasn’t just what he stood for, but how he did it. Boldness with humility makes the Christian faith attractive, if not curious, for others to witness. Sometimes it is hard to “practice what you preach”, but the only way I know to do this is when I rely on the Holy Spirit to work in and through me. It starts with one small step of obedience after another. This older believer taught me more than he’ll ever know, and I didn’t get his name, but he left a lasting example to follow.

Grace upon grace,

April

why others should know what you stand for

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Recently the television show Once Upon A Time aired an episode specifically to celebrate the LGBT community. It became obvious what their goal was with the forced story line seemingly coming out of nowhere – well, Oz to be exact. The series plot follows fairy tale characters that we all know and love as they navigate their way in the modern world.

In an attempt to normalize homosexual relationships, what better way to force-feed the audience their agenda than behind the cloak of “family friendly” watching? I’m not naïve enough to think ABC (the broadcast in which the show airs) shares my values. In fact, it took me this long to see how much they despise them.

In the name of tolerance there are shows on ABC about a gay teen (The Real O’Neals), a married gay couple with a kid (Modern Family) and a woman who has an abortion (Scandal). I don’t even have to watch those shows to know I won’t be tuning in. The clips and headlines say it all.

But my head turned when the creators of Once Upon A Time, Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, decided to make Red Riding Hood and Dorothy a proud lesbian couple with a full-on make-out scene. I shouldn’t be surprised, but that one caught me off guard. They also clarified Mulan’s lesbianism as well. It seems obvious that the writers ran out of good material and had to go for the shock value instead. The season had been sputtering a little and this sealed it.

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If there was one thing I could tell ABC it would be that in the crusade for tolerance, you have offended me, a Christian.

Our world is so bent on not offending the LGBT group that the rest of us don’t even matter.

We’re called bigots, intolerant, homophobes, and narrow-minded (and those are the nice words).

The standards I choose to follow are God’s biblical principles laid out in Scripture. I believe what God says about marriage. It is between one man and one woman and not only is it beautiful, but also sacred. (Genesis 2:20-25; …all of the Song of Solomon)

The wide brush that Christians are painted with grieves my heart. We are projected as LGBT haters. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is that the kind of lifestyle homosexuals celebrate is what God calls an abomination. It makes something He created as holy, unholy. (Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 6:17-20; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Deuteronomy 22:5)

But what I also see are the people behind the masquerade – souls that need truth, to see what real love looks like, the love of Christ. What a scary place it must be to make up one’s own morality as you go along.

When everyone does what is right in his own eyes we self-destruct.

I’m disappointed Once Upon A Time took such an unnecessary turn. However, I will not be silenced or ashamed of my convictions because I follow Jesus Christ. I agree with the Bible and that it is completely true without error. The sad part is LGBT and supporters have made themselves the victims when in fact it is the Christian faith being attacked.

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Redemption is possible to all who desire repentance from whatever lifestyle of sin. But “you cannot adjust your faith to make room for your favorite sin” to quote Matt Walsh. It doesn’t mean Christians have it all together. Rather, it acknowledges a need for forgiveness and daily grace, seeking to please God because we love Him. Defiant rebellion and rebuking God’s Word is not an option or a mark of a believer.

So, let us pray for this nation in a culture war that steps inside our own homes through the television screen (or better yet, turn it off). Let us pray to be kind to someone who vehemently disagrees with what we stand for, demonstrating gracious speech, patience with conviction. Let us grieve for the lost and do our part in bringing the Gospel to our neighbor, co-worker, city, and to the nations. Engage the culture instead of shunning it. Let others know what you believe because when you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

 

Grace upon grace,

April