There has been a LOT going on in the media lately. Reading and
following the life of Daniel over the past few weeks, I have realized that not
one of the issues we are facing today is any different than those Daniel faced
hundreds of years ago.
Racism, slavery, segregation, gender confusion (or
fluidity for the politically correct), religious freedom, money, and power are
all issues that Daniel faced. What I have learned over the past few weeks is
the extreme difference in how Daniel responded to these issues compared to the Christian
community today.
I’m writing this because I’ve been learning a lot about the
heart of God and how we as Christians are supposed to respond to those that
hold a different belief system and lifestyle. This blog is mainly for me and
anyone else that is trying to make sense of the world around them. I wanted to
share what I’m learning and get it out so it’s not jumbled in my head. Plus,
this is so long, I don’t actually expect anyone to read it in full. ;)
Ok...Here we go
There are some big issues floating around that are causing a lot
of conversation. So what’s the right thing to do? How do you properly respond
to someone that has opposing beliefs or lives their life against biblical
teachings? Growing up, I was taught that we are to “go out and make disciples”
(Matthew 28:11) and in doing this I was to do all things necessary to get people
to agree with me and turn to God. I was very aggressive because I thought that’s
what you’re supposed to do. I would think, these people are wrong and I must
teach them the way. What I learned quickly is that people don’t really respond
well to aggression. In fact, putting someone in a defensive state rarely helps
you get what you want. I feel like Christians have used this tactic A TON in
the past and especially now. We judge people according to their actions and we
hold people to the same standards and belief system that we hold ourselves to, Christian
or not.
What Would Daniel Do?
Daniel was captured by his enemies and brought to a city that
opposed his belief system, yet he never treated any of them as enemies. Even as
they forced him to do things he didn’t agree with, they lived their lives against
the teachings of God and treated him horribly, and in return he treated them
with respect. He believed that God had placed them in leadership for a reason
and honored that regardless of how he personally felt. He kept true to himself
and his beliefs without opposing his beliefs on anyone else because he was
confident and secure in the Lord. He showed the love of God through HIS
ACTIONS.
This is where I believe we are faltering a little. Our great
assignment is to go out and teach people about God in a loving and accepting
way, not push our agenda on those that aren’t ready to receive it. Jesus never
told us to create a Christian nation, impose our standards on nonbelievers, or
preserve a particular culture. He told us to share His message with the lost.
The "Warfare" Mind Frame
Those who live in a “warfare” frame of mind either ignore or are
completely unaware of the awful cesspool that the New Testament church was
birthed in. There was no such thing as political freedom in the Roman Empire. Family
values were forgotten. Sexual perversion was the norm. Life was not valued.
Only the rich and powerful had access to justice and even though Rome tolerated
most foreign religions, it didn’t tolerate Christians (sound familiar??).
Yet the focus of the New Testament is entirely upon changing
hearts, not changing governments or culture. When the biblical authors
speak of spiritual warfare, the context is framed around our personal
spirituality. The battle isn’t against
the lost it’s for them. Non-Christians
are victims of the enemy we are fighting against. Our mentality today is to wipe
out those that are living an ungodly lifestyle, which would make everyone more comfortable
I’m sure, but is so incredibly backwards.
Don’t believe me? Let’s see what the Apostle Paul says about how
we should respond:
And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their
senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his
will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
The goal of our interactions is not to see God pour out his
judgment upon them. It’s to see him pour out his grace and mercy, granting them
repentance and knowledge of the truth. I read something in a devotional once
that really hit home for me: Tolerance in the biblical form is granting people
the right to be wrong. When we think of tolerance today, we think of being
politically correct. But the truth is, we all believe differently. Even
Christians have 10,000 different denominations because none of us can agree
100% on what Christianity should look like. We all have our basis and the same
guidelines brought directly to us from God himself, but each interpretation is
slightly different. That doesn’t make Baptist John any less Christian as Church
of Christ Jane. Think of this, if Christians are so mixed up themselves on how
to live a Godly life, how much different do you think the minds and beliefs of Non-
Christians might be? Is attacking or running away the answer?
While Daniel didn’t believe the actions and beliefs of his kings
were right in the eyes of God, he did not oppose them, as they had no affect on
his personal spiritual walk with God. Just because someone does or says something
contrary to your beliefs, doesn’t mean it’s your personal duty to silence them
or make them feel like less of a person because they disagree with you. It’s
your duty to LOVE and through your actions; bring them to the knowledge of God.
The Struggle Is Real
I understand how difficult it is, especially today to proclaim
what you believe without it being turned on you as being hateful even if you
come from a place of love. Those who dare to
claim that some behaviors are actually morally wrong are written off as
intolerant bigots. While many of us feel sorrowful of the
intolerance directed toward Bible-believing Christians today, we have no one to
blame but ourselves. We’re getting what we gave.
Not that long ago, Christianity was the dominant cultural
religion. From what I understand of history
and what I’ve seen with my own eyes growing up Christians often used this power
to shut down those who advocated opposing agendas. We’d force a college to
disinvite a commencement speaker who advocated a godless agenda. We’d pressure
sponsors and brands to stop advertising on television shows we didn’t like.
We’d boycott and smear Non-Christian companies in the media for making Non-Christian
decisions.
Now we’re on the receiving end. As I write this, the statue of
the 10 Commandments is being removed from state capitols. National chains are
being boycotted for proclaiming Christian beliefs. I often wonder what would
have happened if we’d had the wisdom of Daniel when we were in control. What if
we’d been tolerant in the biblical sense of the word? What if, rather than
trying to silence those we strongly disagreed with, we’d let them have their say
- secure in the knowledge that truth has nothing to fear?
My guess is that we would still have an extremely high level of
opposing parties trying to push us out all together. But we’d have a far more
level playing field when it comes to speak to the sins and issues of our day.
Daniel never made these mistakes. He let the worldly live like
the worldly, while continuing to live his own godly life in full view. Which is
why when the time came for him to step forward and speak up, he’d already
earned the right to be heard.
This is where I feel like many of us get it wrong. This world
has fallen from grace. It’s something we all know, but longer we live in this
world, the more we’ll start to realize the overwhelming sin that surrounds us. The
realization can result in feelings of resentment, bitterness and harsh
critiques that are from what one would
consider a “gentle rebuke”.
Many excuse their words by pointing to Jesus’ harsh rebukes of
the Pharisees and other religious leaders of his day. But they miss the point.
Jesus didn’t rail on the sinners of his day. He pursued them. It was the
religious hypocrites who were attempting to keep the sinners at bay that he
blasted.
I guess what I have learned from all of this is to choose my
battles wisely. To seek the counsel of God before running my mouth and
potentially causing more damage toward my cause than good. To keep my eyes open and
my heart still. To be kind, seek God, show love, take opportunities, be genuine. and most importantly:
TRUST God.
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