Are you concerned or perhaps even mad about our new
president’s actions on his first day in office? You may need to take a step back and look at
the big picture.
The goals and pathways are being made clear from the get go by
our new leadership in Washington. But this
could be said for all presidents’ first 100 days in office.
If you do not know what SOGI laws are, it is time to educate
yourself. After that, consider the root
causes of this shift in law making.
Perhaps the idea of transgender kids being allowed to play
on sports teams based upon their chosen gender makes you ask:
“What does this mean for my kid?”
“What about female rights?”
“Is this an attack on our Christian values?”
SOGI laws are more complex than what they seem.
In order to speak truth into the foreseeable darkness, you
must educate yourself. And, do not misunderstand
me, to have more complete understanding you will need to look outside of your
own standards and beliefs.
Then, once you have a fuller picture as to what these legal
actions mean, where they originate from and where they are leading us, take
another step back. Time for an eagle eye
view.
Society is changing, each year moving farther away from Christendom. But, should we be surprised?
To expect people to ascribe to Christian beliefs when they
do not hold to that set of standards is asking someone to enter into a maze and
giving them the wrong map. Things will
never add up, North will be South and East will be West.
Christ ended his ministry on Earth with clear instructions
for His followers. Go forth and make disciples. Did Jesus say go forth
and condemn the world? No. He did
further say to teach those who believe all that He has commanded. But, again, condemning was never an
instruction.
More than this commission, we also have Christ’s example of
how to reach hearts. It wasn’t through
angry voices and bashing gentiles (non-believers) either. Christ came along side people in their everyday
life, meeting needs and gently asking questions or telling stories that led
people to living waters (John 4:10).
Look around you.
People are hurting. The World is
groaning under the weight of the Fall.
Secular theories have led to great inner turmoil, and the remedies the world
offers only increases the turmoil.
The more outspoken you become against the things you hate
(you may also label them as things God hates too), the farther you push people
into the arms of their hurts.
John chapter 8 tells of an interesting account Jesus has with
a woman caught in sin. While Jesus was
at the Mount of Olives, in Jerusalem, the pharisees brought a woman caught in
adultery before Jesus. Scripture says
the motives of the religious leaders were devious. They had hoped to catch Jesus in apostasy and
bring charges against Him. The irony is the
accusing pharisees were themselves not following Mosaic law. The Old Testament states if adultery occurs
both the man and woman are to be punished.
But only the woman stood before Jesus.
I wonder what led the woman to that moment. While current culture is beginning to move away
from the idea of monogamy, in general, adultery is still considered wrong on
some level even today.
Why would she choose to step outside of her marriage? Did she even choose? Had she been pushed into the arms of a new
man due to abuse at home? Perhaps she
had an arranged marriage that was loveless.
Or maybe the adultery was not what the pharisees believed it was. No matter the reason, this woman was
broken. Laid bare before a crowd of
people, angry religious leaders with stones in hand, looking towards
Jesus.
How did Jesus respond?
Weirdly, in my opinion.
Counter-culturally would be a kinder way to describe His actions.
Jesus stooped and began to write on the ground. What did He write? The book of John does not say. However, many scholars believe Jesus began to
write counteraccusations pointed towards the pharisees. Maybe he simply wrote, “Where is the adulterous
man?” After Jesus did His writing in the
dirt, He simply said whoever is without guilt cast the first stone.
Sometimes in conversations with my husband I will exclaim, “Glass
houses!” Rolled eyes are the usual
response. But my husband knows precisely
what I am meaning.
Do not go throwing stones at other people when you do not
live in a figurative shatterproof home.
Jesus’s dirt note and small statement were effective. Suddenly, the accused woman was left alone
with Jesus. The accusers were gone and
Jesus tells the woman to sin no more.
Now, let me ask you this:
As you see the world turn farther away from the Lord, are you the red
faced pharisee with a stone in your hand?
Or, are you looking at people and seeing their broken hearts?
Make no mistake, Jesus ended His encounter with the woman by
telling her to turn from her sin. But He
also extended her grace and mercy. Then,
within ear shot of this woman and to all who were still at the Mount of Olives,
Jesus proclaims more hope:
“I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will
never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
It is time for us to look for new avenues to share the
living hope we have in Christ. Does that
mean we might get messy? Yes. Does that mean we may need to put ourselves
in the shoes of other people? Yes.
But when we approach hurts and confusion with empathy and
humility perhaps hearts will soften to our Savior. This is a relational pursuit which means it
will take the building up of personal relationships! Can there be a widespread global impact? The Lord
works in mighty ways. But, in the meantime,
as secular culture takes hold around you, look for the hurting, confused
hearts. Walk along side them. Try to understand them and how they got to
where they are. Speak truth sprinkled
(doused!) with love. Pray without
ceasing.
But stop being surprised or angered by the world in such a
way that makes you pick up stones, how can we fulfill the task Jesus has set
for us when we are busy throwing rocks?
