I’ve tried to distance myself from the political and social unrest of our culture lately. I’m not unaware or uneducated, just choosing to be very conscious of what I expose myself to. I believe there is wisdom in this. We must pay attention to what we allow to enter into our minds. There is much in the world that I can do nothing about. Some of these things bring me to tears and yet I still feel powerless to influence them. I am taking new steps to influence the world immediately around me in positive, faithfilled ways, but the heaviness of the issues of our culture seem out of reach and unable to be influened much of the time. It is easy to keep my head down and pretend that what I think or say wouldn’t make a positive impact.

However, lately there is this gnawing at the back of my brain. This question that keeps grinding away at my soul. If I am strong in my faith in God and I absolutely believe that I would stand for my beliefs against all odds….WHERE am I actually standing up for anything I believe TODAY? I say I would die for my faith, I would never deny my love for Jesus and I want to believe I would stare persecution straight in the face if necessary. But here today in the good ‘ol USA where there is hardly any physical persecution I barely say a word about my beliefs. Sure I repost Christian memes and scriptures to social media, but I hardly feel like this makes me fearless. I doubt there is a person around me who doesn’t know I am a Christian, but the nagging question remains. If I won’t stand up now, when there is literally only brutal words on a screen to fear….if not NOW, then WHEN? I am still navigating what this will mean in my life, but I truly believe it is time for the silent to rise up and share our hope in Jesus. Maybe this doesn’t mean standing up for political views or social justice reform (or maybe it does), but at a minimum it should mean sharing the love and hope of Jesus. People are truly desparate for it. 

I believe this begins by KNOWING without question WHAT we believe and WHY we believe it. (Please understand this does not mean that you need to be a Biblical scholar to stand for your beliefs.) We should be confident in our faith, we should ask questions and dive deep into the Bible to understand more clearly. This Sunday I shared that during the last few months of the pandemic my activities have been limited. It became painfully clear that when all of us were running around nonstop with activities before the pandemic, we all just wished we had more time. If we only had more time! THEN we would pray more, read our Bible more, etc. Then without much warning at all, many of us were stripped of EVERY activity. Did you suddenly develop all the purposeful Christian habits that you promised yourself and God you would – if you only had more time? I didn’t and I don’t know anyone that did. Did I improve, sure a bit, but EVERYTHING had to be stripped away from me to improve “a ‘lil bit”. It became real obvious, real fast that God had erased “time” as the excuse why we don’t prioritize spending time with him or studying his word. It’s as if God looked us straight in the eye and said “Looks like you still don’t have time for me even when you have NOTHING BUT TIME!” Obviously, time wasn’t the problem, the problem was us! God called us out on our stuff right then and there! Ouch! I know I am not the only one who came to this conclusion. Again I will ask, if we can’t put him first even when some of us had nothing else to do with our time…. if not NOW, then WHEN? WE have to CHOOSE to spend our time with GOD. 

We grow deeper as Christians through spending time in his word. Through prayers. Through trials where we trust in God even when we have no understanding. Through listening to others testimonies of how God has been faithful in their lives. Through conversations we learn how to articulate the gospel and why we have faith in the living word of the Bible. We “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” because we are living it every moment of every day. Some days are euphoric and some days are devastating, but through it all we still worship our God on the throne. We choose God. We know what we believe. We know why we believe it. Our faith is not swayed by the latest cultural challenge or insults we received that day. We are steadfast and firm. Be Steadfast.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Find a Bible app, reading plan, devotional, Bible study group, etc. Find a way to keep yourself accountable. Don’t make it a chore. Don’t beat yourself up when you fail, but reset and go forth. Choose to Live a Life of Inspiration Not Obligation. In our western culture we have so many different opportunities to grow deeper in Christ. One of the amazing blessings of going on a mission trip to Kenya was helping a father get a Bible that was written in his native tribal language. He was elated that he would have the word of God to read to his children in a language they would understand. How spoiled are we? We go about deciding what VERSION we prefer to read the Bible in. It really puts things in perspective, doesnt’ it? (And removes another excuse – darn it!)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Just as we have to choose to dive deeper with God, we have to choose to stand up for our beliefs. If I am honest, it is a fight not to be anxious that our religious freedoms will be taken from us without most of us ever saying a word. That would be a sad history to be part of; one that I don’t want to participate in. So again in this divisive climate, don’t just do what you’ve always done. KNOW what you stand for and why, why you view certain issues in a specific light, why you are voting for who you are voting for, the truth behind the organizations you support, etc.

Romans 16:18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

It isn’t enough to just do what we have always done. We need to know to our core WHAT we stand for and WHY it is worth our stamp of approval in society. Above all of this though, share your views and core beliefs with love. I implore you NOT to get sucked into a divisive culture, but respond in love and truth. Pray for your enemies by showing The Love of God. There are days that will seem like an impossible goal, but it is worthy. Jesus is worthy. Let his light shine through us to our very dark world.