I would not consider myself a confrontational person. Actually, I hate conflict. Debating others on a difficult topic is what I dread, especially with those whom I consider friends. Some people get fired up and more clear-headed under pressure. I’m the exact opposite. My mind goes blank and all I see is red. It’s not good.
Can’t get away from it
But you know what we can’t get away from right now? Conflict. It’s everywhere. Do you support wearing masks? Are you advancing social justice? What about this vaccine? Years ago (as in, say 2 years ago – LORD help us) the biggest conflict we’d have to worry about is how you pronounce Houston. Like a New Yorker (as in house-ton) or a Texan (the traditional pronunciation)?
Obviously, I’m exaggerating, but only slightly. I don’t remember a time when there has been so much conflict and division. A friend mentioned how everything that has happened lately has caused so much division. After thinking about it, I realized an incredibly important distinction. Everything that has happened lately has not caused or created division – it’s exposed it.
Cracks
The cracks in the church have been creeping in slowly over the years, but most people, including myself, didn’t notice them. It’s as if we’re all out hiking together and you assume your buds are a step behind you. After a while, you check to see how they’re doing only to realize you have no idea where your friends are. They are nowhere to be found. That’s what it feels like. I’m looking all around me for my friends only to realize, they’re not there. They’ve gone woke. Or worse yet, weak.
Woke
What I mean by “woke” as many of you may already know, is essentially becoming a social justice warrior (SJW). They mean well but are focused on a kind of salvation that is impossible, because it’s not based on Scripture. According to the rhetoric, racism is everywhere and if you don’t minimally acknowledge it as they’ve defined it (i.e. oppressor versus oppressed), you are obviously uneducated and/or racist. But not to worry! These SJW’s are ready to school you, even if they’ve never looked into the contradictory data or considered different narratives. It’s all good. They’ve read the canon of CRT (Critical Race Theory) books, therefore they are experts. And if you don’t agree, just watch how fast you get canceled.
Within the church
It’s astonishing to see just how many people have become woke. And I’m not referring to just secular people, but those within the church as well. They claim they are standing on biblical truth. Surely the LORD cares about racism is what they say. And I agree; obviously, He cares. However, the basis that undergirds these claims of rampant and/or systemic racism would presumably have some form of truth, whether in the form of facts, statistics, or written legislation. But when you scratch the surface to research this topic, you quickly find there are studies that don’t support systemic racism claims and there is nothing to support written legislation of bias. Unless you include Affirmative Action, but we’re not supposed to talk about that.
When you point out this lack of facts, everyone turns into AOC, and announces as she has, “There’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.”
What??
Morality
Again, you’d think that there would be clear, verifiable facts that would support claims like this, especially in the name of “morality.” To be clear, no one is saying racism doesn’t exist and/or that it’s OK to be racist (obviously). However, if claims as serious as these are made, there needs to be some kind of objective facts to verify the veracity of the claim.
But let’s just say for argument’s sake, we disregard the facts and just go by morality. My question then is, who’s morality?
It all sounds so good. Whatever morality we feel like abiding by is what truth is. That sounds very accepting and non-judgmental. SJW’s want to accept and affirm us where we’re at by teaching us to love ourselves. This will make us happy based on our own truth. Sounds great! But Jesus wants to accept and sanctify us where we’re at by teaching us we must deny ourselves. This will make us Holy as He is Holy based on God’s Truth.
Big difference.
Weak
But I’d be wrong if I were to say that the great majority of the Church is now woke. It’s not. But my oh my, it’s weak. So weak that the woke in the church are taking charge and taking names, with little to no resistance. Perhaps if the problem children of the church are ignored, all the problems will eventually go away. The quandary is even if that’s true, the damage to the church in the meantime will be devastating. The church already has been wrecked and it will only continue to get worse. And still, so many weak Christians do and say nothing. It’s 100% understandable. We all want to avoid conflict. No one wants others to be ticked off at them. I don’t know anyone who is a glutton for punishment! But they remind me of the lukewarm water that the LORD spit out (Rev 3:16).
Awake
Thankfully, those that are awake are also out there. And they are being tested like never before. The story of Nini’s restaurant is a testimony to this. Very few stood against the mob. It was not easy, and there was a heavy price to pay. They lost everything. But what’s amazing is that when asked if they’d do it again, with tears in their eyes, they said, “YES!” Are they crazy? Maybe. But more importantly, they see the fight is worth it. Jesus and the Truth of Scripture are worth it, no matter how difficult the conflict may be.
Keep in mind that clearly, not everyone will be called to make the same sacrifice that Juan in the documentary of Nini’s restaurant above made. But just as Juan made the choice not to acquiesce, we must also choose not to live by lies. When we can and wherever He calls us, with wisdom and discernment, we must choose to stand on truth. I pray we can all do this, in the small choices, as well as the big ones. There will be conflict ahead. Jesus warned us of this (Matt 10:34). We need each other. It’s so easy to slip into the weak category. I, myself, have spent way too much time in that position. Together with the strength of Christ, we can stand firm.
Awaken, Church!
