Some attributes in our age of technology are great. You can buy all kinds of things online while relaxing on your sofa. Book trips through an app. Secure a checklist of items that once required multiple errand runs and they will be delivered to your door within hours. But there is another aspect to this modern system that is incredibly frustrating. What do you do when you need to talk to a human being?
This past week I spent hours on hold when I needed to talk to a person. I was informed every couple of minutes that my call was important and they would answer my call as soon as a representative was available. That was followed by annoying hold music that repeated over and over and over. I finally gave up.
I appreciate that so much can be handled through technology but sometimes you need the assistance of an actual person. You need to hear a voice.
God never puts us on hold because He is always present. I thought about how followers of Jesus have received an amazing gift from God. Peter described it in the Book of Acts.
“Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts of the Apostles 2:38 NLT)
We have received the gift of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. That presence of God is constant and vital to our spiritual growth. Jesus described the role of the Spirit in our lives.
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26 NLT)
The Holy Spirit represents Jesus as His Advocate to teach and remind us of our needs. And that presence is 24/7. Paul reminds us of God’s constant presence through the Spirit.
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT)
His Spirit lives in us. Always. Another amazing gift of God is the interpretive power of the Spirit in our hearts. In this age of technology we ask artificial intelligence to show us what we can’t figure out. It isn’t always accurate. God uses the Holy Spirit to advocate for us in communication to the Father when we cannot express our needs. The Spirit is always accurate. Paul describes that gift in his letter to the Romans. I love the wording in The Message for this passage.
“Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves…” (Romans 8:26-28, MSG)
I used to pray that God would be with me when I was about to face a difficult season. Then I realized that I was praying incorrectly. I pray now that I am grateful that God is already with me and will walk with me through each trial. That is a difference maker in my journey.
God never puts us on hold. His presence is constant. What a gift from our Father.
Well, sometimes my life Just don’t make sense at all When the mountains look so big And my faith just seems so small
Right now I am in a pretty good place in my life and journey with Jesus. But then I started thinking about the many friends and loved ones who could relate completely to those lyrics in their current situation. And I can certainly recall seasons of my life when those words accurately reflected the condition of my soul. I remember how I used to respond. I would deduce it was my fault and I would decide that I had to do something to bolster my faith. I had to read more verses or do a study or pray more or believe more. But the answer was far more simple and the chorus by Rich Mullins nails it.
So hold me Jesus, ’cause I’m shaking like a leaf You have been King of my glory Won’t You be my Prince of Peace
I need to quit flailing and trying so darn hard to be righteous. Hold me Jesus. Won’t you be my Prince of Peace? I have started praying a prayer that is simple and profound.
“Jesus…thank you for loving me today.”
He does. But I remember how I used to think that I had to “do stuff” for God to earn His favor and receive His love and peace. For those of us “doers” who absolutely must do something I have our assignment.
Trust God.
That’s it. I have made it so stinkin’ complicated and religious for so many years. When I exercise that simple act of faith I can move forward with confidence. When I trust God obedience comes out of gratitude and not teeth gritting compliance.
Why did I fight His amazing grace and His unconditional love. Rich Mullins nails that too.
Surrender don’t come natural to me I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want Than to take what You give that I need And I’ve beat my head against so many walls Now I’m falling down, I’m falling on my knees
That was me. Hanging on to the familiar malaise of self-effort instead of surrendering and accepting grace and freedom. Surrendering control is hard for our prideful flesh. Next time you are flailing and striving to please God why not try that little prayer of praise.
“Jesus…thank you for loving me today.”
The red letter words of Jesus in Matthew are beautiful and comforting.
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
I love the version of this text in The Message.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)
I am learning the unforced rhythm of grace. What a difference that makes during challenging seasons.
The Epistles written by Paul are as impactful for today’s church as they were for his multiple church plants. Paul was dealt some pretty bad hands during his missionary journeys. I suspect it would have been easy for him to question God about his challenging journey. After all, it was God who very aggressively recruited Paul onto the team while he was traveling to Damascus. But Paul knew that difficulties are a vital part of the spiritual growth program. Here is what he wrote from prison.
I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:10-12, NIV)
I am so grateful that Paul did not write “I am content” and “I know the secret,” even though those words could have been true. He was divinely inspired to honestly write that he had learned to be content and he had learned the secret. It did not come naturally or easily to Paul either.
Contentment is learning how to be present with Jesus in every circumstance. Our nature is to not enjoy the moment at hand when it is not ideal. We focus on whatever is bothering us. We long for comfort and fail to look for the blessings that usually surround us. Maybe what we really need is the lesson of the circumstance.
I wrote about our rescued Labradors in Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace. Before we adopted those sweet girls we had a rambunctious golden retriever named Charlie. He showed me how we can find comfort in a worrisome moment.
Charlie developed a large benign tumor under his front leg that made walking difficult. We took him in for what would be a rather serious surgery at his ripe old canine age of twelve. The vet did a masterful job in removing the growth and taking care of Charlie. He spent the night at the clinic, and in the morning it was time to bring Charlie home. Joni and I were waiting in the reception area, and when Charlie shuffled out, I was taken aback by his appearance. Charlie was trembling, frightened, and apparently in some pain. His head was down and his tail that was always in perpetual motion was strangely stilled. He seemed confused and disoriented.
I walked over to Charlie and gently touched him. Immediately, he quit trembling and made a valiant attempt to wag his tail. We carefully got him into the car and took him home to heal. His anxiety was reduced considerably.
Now, as I reflect on that scene, Charlie’s reaction to my touch and mere presence was a wonderful illustration of how Jesus comforts (or desires to comfort) me. When I (his master) touched Charlie, he was comforted. His pain was not gone. He was still frightened. He was still a bit disoriented and unsure. Charlie’s circumstances hadn’t really changed at all. But he knew that his master was there, and that made it better.
What a picture that is of how the touch of Jesus enables us to respond when we are frightened about the future. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus never promised that all trouble would vanish when we believe in Him. Jesus understood the need to communicate His victory over our trials.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NLT)
Jesus promised that He would be there and that His presence would be enough. But I usually want to avoid pain and difficult situations. Even as I desire changed situations, the quiet voice of God is seeking a changed me. Paul never asked for different circumstances for those he prayed for in his letters. He asked for patience, thanksgiving, joy, hope, confidence, and trust, because he knew that growing in those traits would be enough for those reading his words to endure whatever life threw at them.
Paul learned that the gentle touch of Jesus will ease your anxiety and give you peace even in a difficult journey. And with that trust in Christ we can learn to be content.
I made a conscious decision a few years ago to focus on communicating the message of grace and identity in Christ. With that I decided to avoid the polarizing path of politics. Some have told me that is cowardly but I can honestly say there is no message more important to me than the liberating freedom of grace. I want to share the joy of living out of what Jesus has already accomplished and what God says is true about me.
That I am a saint. A new creation. A beloved child of God. I relate to the mission statement of Paul when he wrote these words.
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. (Acts 20:24, NLT)
I feel called to be a messenger of hope and grace. Plus I feel like the negative team has a pretty full roster of contributors.
I still believe that is my calling with these humble ramblings. But how does grace enter into the conversation when we have sincere disagreements over cultural and political issues?
It is fascinating how two people can look at the same information and reach completely opposite conclusions. So I am going to offer the “Grace Rules of Engagement” as a roadmap for civil discussion.
Sincere followers of Jesus can look at cultural or political issues and have very different opinions. Jesus loves His children on both sides of the argument.
I know I have changed my views on some cultural issues over my years of walking with Jesus. I was a child in the era when divorce was a mortal sin. I absolutely am committed to the idea of a husband and wife taking their vows seriously. But I learned that the cultural shame of divorce caused many Christian women to feel trapped in relationships of abuse. Clearly that was not the desire of a loving Heavenly Father who ordained marriage. In those sad situations it is necessary to divorce an abusive spouse. In the pulpits of my youth the message was no divorce outside of adultery was ever justified. I had a blind spot about how a declaration that appeared Biblical could foster abuse. So many issues we discuss have similar and complex nuances. We need to discuss, not demonize.
The goal of a discussion should not be to win.
Thoughtful discourse is impossible when one of the participants only cares about winning the debate. The goal of any conversation should be graceful exchange of ideas without rude interruptions, condescending gestures, or angry exchanges. I would rather have a goal of being winsome instead of winning. That attitude fosters conversation.
People of different viewpoints should commit to listen. Nothing shows respect more than carefully listening to the arguments of those with whom you disagree and then gently offering thoughtful responses.
Listen to talking heads on television news shows as they “discuss” different points of view. As soon as one side starts talking the other shakes their head, smirks, and then interrupts and talks over the other person. How is that going to persuade anyone? Yet we tend to do the same thing when we have significant disagreements with people of faith. Listen. Really listen. Let them finish their point. Then respond in grace.
Ask questions.
You will not influence another person by arguing. The way to connect is to ask questions and try to understand why they feel the way they do. I have found that many times people I talk with don’t have a solid reason for their feelings. That can be a opening to honestly discuss difficult topics.
Climb out of your bubble
Find out what the other person is reading and watching. Expose yourself to different points of view and encourage those you have disagreements with to do the same. If you are confident in your beliefs there should be no fear in being exposed to differing viewpoints.
All of us are a work in process.
Every child of God is in process. I am a very different Christian than I was 20, 10, or even 5 years ago. I am growing (hopefully) in grace and truth. I strongly believed and said things years ago that I am grieved about today. Thankfully God was patiently working with my heart and gently shining the light of the Holy Spirit on my blind spots. I need to give that grace to others.
Pray for wisdom and grace then leave the results to God.
So what is the goal when you have sincere disagreements with another believer over cultural issues? Use the “Grace Guidelines” and relax. God may be using you to plant seeds in the heart of the other person. Maybe you have a blind spot that needs the refining work of the Holy Spirit. Share your heart with love and kindness and be open to the possibility that you may be the one who needs to change your heart.
Grace never cancels
Grace does not “cancel”. Grace does not shame. Grace does not answer anger with anger. The person you totally disagree with may be crying out of pain and deep wounding. Perhaps a gentle answer will give hope. Grace does not lash out when challenged. Grace is kind and gentle.
Being graceful can be a pain in the hind regions but it is what we are called to offer to others. Paul addresses this to the church at Colossae.
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.Colossians 3:12-17, NLT
Perhaps the most important thing all of us can do to further the unity in the body of Christ is to memorize that passage and try to implement those words for 30 days. By the grace of God it could become a habit.
Be kind to those who disagree and remember the words of author Alexander MacLaren. “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.”
I love the message Paul wrote to the Ephesian church. Paul had spent over two years teaching and discipling the new believers in Ephesus. Not long after leaving he received reports that those new hearts had reverted to old habits. Things were a bit of a mess and the word came back that the old behaviors of rage, immorality, lying, stealing and gossip were resurfacing. Paul wrote a letter to address this sad turn of events. The amazing thing to me is that the first three chapters never address those sins. Paul even greets them as saints for crying out loud!
“From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints [in Ephesus], the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 1:1 NET)
If I was writing that letter it would have had an entirely different tone. Something more along these lines. “What are you thinking? I am so disappointed in you. What is wrong with you? Do you know how much I sacrificed for you?” But Paul doesn’t do that. Rather, in the first three chapters, he talks about identity. He reminds them who they are.
Saint. Redeemed by Christ. Adopted child of God. Sealed in the Holy Spirit.
This reminder to the church at Ephesus impacted my heart. For years I had a really difficult time trusting my identity and your actions tend to reflect who you believe you are. Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth talks about how our identity has changed.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
It took me a while to believe that because of Christ I have a new identity. That I am righteous because of Him and not because of trying to do more right “stuff.” I am a saint and there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. It is a liberating and joyous message. But there is a problem. Satan hates that message of hope and change. And so he aggressively goes about trying to “steal’ my identity in Christ.
We find it difficult to believe that we are changed because many times when we fail the old tapes instantly cue up and start playing loudly:
You will never change. You always do that. I can’t believe you did that again. What is wrong with you?
All of those accusations that Satan (and others who are quite happy to help) hurls your way are no longer true about you. All of the guilt and shame and sin that used to define you are no longer true. That old life is gone. You are a new creation. New life has begun.
Even though the Ephesians had messed up royally in how they were living out their faith Paul did not condemn them as he began his letter. He had to be heartbroken. But he showed his love by not lecturing but by reminding them who they were….adopted, redeemed, and sealed. Saints. He NEVER wrote a word about changing their behavior until chapter four!
I have spent too many years being an Ephesians 4 to 6 Christian. I looked at behavior and judged that…often sinfully. I am becoming an Ephesians 1 to 3 Christian. Remembering and reminding myself and others who we are. Out of those truths behavior changes.
Adopted. Redeemed. Sealed. Loved. A saint. Righteous. Accepted. Forgiven. A new creation. A child of God.
No matter what difficulty or trial you might encounter this week I pray that you will take a moment and remember who you are. A saint. Adopted. Redeemed. Sealed.
It was thirteen years ago when Joni and I said goodbye to Hall of Fame canine companion Hannah. She was a unexpected rescued Labrador that God brought into our lives to help us through a challenging season. She inspired the initial book draft of Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace that included stories from another rescued Labrador named Maggie. Here is a chapter from the book remembering sweet Hannah.
Hannah loves the morning walk. When she sees me grab my walking shoes, she begins to vibrate with excitement. If the Department of Energy wants to find an untapped green energy source, it should harness Labrador tails. I think Hannah could power a small apartment building when she gets excited and that tail starts oscillating. I love the morning walk as well. It is a time to meditate, pray, listen to good music, and enjoy God’s company.
The walk is pretty much the same each day for Hannah. She checks for new messages left by other canine friends along her social network. Sometimes she leaves a reply. She gets excited when she sees another person, dog, or anything breathing, really. Hannah loves life.
As I clipped the leash to Hannah’s collar this morning, I couldn’t help but notice her enthusiasm. She was happy just to get out and walk. The leash didn’t spoil the anticipation of heading out the door, and despite its restriction, she still found abundant stimulation along the way.
When we got to the park, it was empty. As usual, we started out by a sign that sternly warned miscreants not to let their dogs run free. Today we were in temporary violation of city code 5544.
We entered a wooded area on the back side of the park where I felt comfortable letting Hannah run free. She became visibly energized by her liberation.
She ran ahead of me, spun around, and sprinted back. She spotted a squirrel several yards away and instinctively froze. Her body tensed in anticipation; she crouched down and took a few slow, deliberate steps, stalking her prey.
Then she bolted full throttle at the squirrel, ears flying in the wind.
The squirrel darted up a tree and Hannah stopped, looked up, and then turned with an expression of complete satisfaction as she trotted back toward me. She had a doggie smile from ear to ear. Hannah was fully alive when she was off the leash. Her freedom gave her such joy and energy. The squirrels weren’t as keen with the idea.
When we reached the front part of the park, I called her and reattached the leash. Her body language was still happy, but there was not quite as much spring in her step. The leash again restricted her freedom.
Hannah’s joyous foray into freedom made me think about my journey with Jesus. I was introduced to faith in Christ in a church that put a legalistic leash on my daily Christian walk.
Our church leaders reminded me of characters from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. We did not have the dreaded knights who said, “Ni.” We had the dreaded pastors who said, “No.”
I’m certain there were several volumes filled with things that were forbidden. Here is a sample platter of no-no’s I was asked to follow.
NO movies. NO drinking. NO movies. NO television. NO playing cards. NO rock-and-roll music. NO slacks for women. NO long hair for men.
You get the idea. It’s not surprising that it took me a long time to figure out grace and freedom in Christ. Ironically, there are a few noes in the New Testament that our moralists somehow overlooked. This little “no” verse would have come in handy (capitalization and italics added for emphasis).
There is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2
That would have been a refreshing mist of grace to our parched flock. Or how about these “no” verses (capitalization and italics added for emphasis).
This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is NOfear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:17-19, NIV)
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is NO commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31, NIV)
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps NO record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)
I have been crucified with Christ and I NO longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (Galatians 2:20-21, NIV)
That is a very different “no” list than the first one.
NO condemnation. NO fear. NO commandment greater than to love God and your neighbor. NO record of wrongdoing when you love one another. NO longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.
Hannah’s foray off the leash reminded me again of my freedom from the burden of performance-based salvation. Remembering that restores the bounce in my step and spirit. In the freedom of grace, I am realizing and believing who God says I am. When I am unleashed by grace, I understand and trust who God says He is.
Like Hannah, I could live on my leash of moralism and get by fairly well. I did it for decades. Most of you wouldn’t have noticed my constraints. I would still have fun and enjoy the journey, just as Hannah enjoyed the restricted part of her walk. But why should I accept partial freedom when God is offering complete freedom in His amazing grace?
Take off whatever leash is holding you back today and run freely in grace. Choose to believe that there is no condemnation in Christ for those who belong to Him. Don’t settle for some self-imposed leash of performance. Hannah would tell you that the real blessing is running with complete freedom.
God’s grace unhooks the leash and allows you to run unfettered and worship. God loves watching your exuberant liberation in Him. And He enjoys it when you turn and smile toward the heavens with complete satisfaction.
Enjoy the grace-filled romp of freedom just as Hannah did. Walk (or run with ears flying) to Jesus. Approach Him with confidence, not in fear and shame. Having that relationship allows you to give up your burden of self-sufficiency and let Jesus lead. Thanks, Hannah, for helping me see that.
When it comes to social media some people seem to be in attack mode all the time. My heartaches because friends and colleagues of mine say truly ugly things and assign terrible motives to people they don’t even know. I quit going negative on social media many years ago. I affirm where I can and stay silent when I cannot. I just don’t understand what satisfaction people get from savaging someone from the safe bunker of the Internet.
One word I choose to limit is hate. Hate is a powerful and deeply affecting word. But we toss it around so casually that it makes me wince. I am saddened, sickened, disturbed, and frightened at how the word hate is being hurled in our national discourse. Red-faced people of different viewpoints spew vitriol at those they disagree with. It can be an honest and complicated issue that people are reacting to, but they reduce the debate to hating their opponents instead of listening and discussing.
Author James Baldwin made this insightful observation: “I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.”
Isn’t that the truth? Sometimes it is easier to demonize than understand what needs to be done. It is up to me and to you to change the discourse. We need to start by allowing God to be the one who defines hate. After all, He does have that righteous and holy power on His resume.
In the Book of Proverbs, there is a list of seven things that God hates. eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family. (Proverbs 6:17-19, The Message)
I believe we saw all seven of those things over recent days in our country. Political leaders favorite tactic of justifying bad behavior because of other bad behavior does not work with a holy God. Our God is not attention deficit and we cannot distract Him with a shiny sign condemning someone else’s sin.
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of “Words That Hurt, Words That Heal”, has lectured throughout this country on the powerful, often negative impact of words. He often asks audiences if they can go 24 hours without saying any unkind words about, or to, another person. Invariably, a small number of listeners raise their hands, signifying “Yes.” Others laugh, and quite a few call out, “No!”
Telushkin responds, “Those who can’t answer ‘yes’ must recognize that you have a serious problem. If you can’t go 24 hours without drinking liquor, you’re addicted to alcohol. If you can’t go 24 hours without smoking, you’re addicted to nicotine. So if you can’t go 24 hours without saying unkind words about others, then you’ve lost control over your tongue.”
Or maybe you could try sending 24 posts without saying unkind words about others. It seems that people talk about things and people they detest instead of solutions. Hate is a very serious word to use when talking about anyone, and especially for followers of Jesus who rant on other believers. As Christians, we simply do not have that option. Yet I see this happening way too often.
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? (1 John 4:20)
If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. (1 John 2:9)
Ouch. It’s very clear—and uncomfortable to hear—that I need to pray for those I disagree with in the faith community.
But beyond that, I think we need to be extraordinarily prayerful about throwing the hate card at anyone. I would suggest that we often allow ourselves to slip from hating the sin to hating the sinner as well. A wise man tells us that “the fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate” (Proverbs 8:13)
We see the first sentence of this next Proverb played out in social media.
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. (Proverbs 10:12)
The second part of this Proverb has been demonstrated by a few brave souls in my lifetime. Martin Luther King Jr. had some legitimate reasons to hate, but he chose not to. His words have not lost their power: “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
Another courageous African-American, Booker T. Washington, made a similar choice. “I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him.”
We hate people we don’t know and, without a doubt, that suspicious attitude prevents us from ever engaging with them. That is why the assassination of Charlie Kirk was so heartbreaking. He sought to engage with people who disagreed with his faith and his views of life. I cannot understand how anyone can say that seeking civil debate over cultural issues is wrong. He asked questions of critics. He gave them an open mic to show where his thinking was off base. His heart’s desire was to shine a light in a dark world through his faith in Jesus Christ. His process was to share truth through kindness and grace. Charlie knew that even truth shared with anger and condemnation will rarely change a heart.
I have decided to severely curtail my use of the word hate. I am praying to follow the words of Booker T.Washington to permit no man to degrade my soul by making me hate.
I have to remind myself that the actions that make me angry are the result of our fallen nature and sin. Hating people will not fix either of those issues. My hope is that finding a relationship with Jesus Christ will heal their anger and pain. I can’t influence hearts by using inflammatory words. I want to engage them in grace filled conversation. And remember that words do matter. A lot.
