“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and perseveres” –1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Loving anyone according to God’s pattern of love can be challenging. God’s command to “love our neighbor as we love ourselves” categorically challenges how many in this world understand love.
Assuredly, friends, 2020 has been a year of unprecedented changes. A season of ground-breaking exposures and truths revealed. Of a virus that forced us all behind masks—literally changing the face of everything. So, in a world that is so plainly and rapidly changing culturally, a world that claims inclusion while often unashamedly offering up selective pockets of exclusion, is it any wonder we hear this term “cancel-culture” used? Cancel culture by definition says: withdraw public support from public figures, companies, even from friends, colleagues, and family members who allegedly perpetuate or engage in what it deems as problematic behaviors. A hot topic for sure but please, hear me out. While at first glance this system of beliefs may sound reasonable, offering a measure of accountability to others even, it also sows seeds of deliberate division in our country. Claiming in part that anyone who holds a perspective or to ideals or beliefs contrary to those this voice of counter-cultural deems acceptable is often mocked, ridiculed—no longer welcomed at their table. Other factors dividing our nation today have been our idolizing political parties or their candidates, our collective pride, and overall unfriendliness –among believers and unbelievers alike.
It remains a challenge for many Christians today to not become distracted by the world’s constantly clanging cymbals of current events, and its 24-hour news cycles. Yet despite all the clamoring, as believers, we must hold tight to the very bedrock of what is fixed and unchanging – the inerrant Truth found in God’s Word. Even amid what feels like a never-ending cultural storm. The bedrock of God’s Word is where our firm foundation lays—so, if we have drifted from that place, we must repent and return. Returning our attention and devotion to God, to our bibles, rather than blankly fixing our gaze on our television set. Rededicating our attention and time back to sitting at the Lord’s feet, not mindlessly scrolling through social media. We must be willing to ask ourselves, and each other, the challenging questions:
“How is Jesus Christ being glorified in my every conversation?”
“How are we as Christians demonstrating our faith to a world that is both watching and listening to most everything we say and do?”
“What is God revealing to us in this season? What is our role as believers in what He is revealing? And how can we best be His hands and feet—partnering with Him to bring healing to another?”
“What areas of our lives, my life specifically, require sincere repentance, humility, and prayer?”
Saying all of this then, how do we as Christians respond to the many contentious voices of counterculture? To being shut down, or shut out when our voice or beliefs, our morals, those things we hold dear can’t possibly subscribe to this “new norm” this culture’s agenda?
Our response as Christians must be love—always love. The driving force behind Jesus’s every action was love, not loathing—never just canceling another out. Loving our neighbor as ourselves is part of what sets us apart as followers of Jesus. “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”–Matthew 22: 37-40. Scripture assures me that it is only God’s incredible love that can heal hearts of stone, turning them then into hearts of flesh! Scripture also reminds me that, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…” –1 John 4:18. And, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins” –1 Peter 4:8.
One of my loudest and most challenging prayer points this season has been, Jesus, teach me, show me how to love like you, even if I don’t feel like it. That’s my raw and honest prayer. I realized my need to pray this way after a few disagreements with loved ones over the issue of counterculture. If I’m being transparent here, I realized I was not modeling the love of Christ with my words nor my actions. Amid intense arguments, I would say hurtful things to the other person out of spite, for fear of losing the argument. I engaged in conversations crossly, not with the intent of being understood, rather, to be right. I remember times when I held on to a grudge to the point where forgiveness felt impossible—times I did not want to persevere in a difficult relationship. Then I was “drop to my knees” humbled. When I expected God’s anger—instead, I received mercy and grace. I received forgiveness, the very forgiveness I needed to extend to others. “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” – Matthew 6:14. God’s love is kind, it does not dishonor others, it is not easily angered, and it isn’t proud. It is not self-seeking; it perseveres and rejoices with the truth.
So, what does the pure love of God look like within a culture that is often hostile towards God—His commands? That often lends its nod of approval towards the spirit of division or fear or exclusion?
As Christians, we must always be Light in the world. We must be imitators of Jesus. Period. Offering respect—even when we differ. This is the culture we need to foster, encouraging and welcoming “whosoever will” to join in. Remember friends, Jesus welcomed Judas to the table being fully aware of his impending betrayal—who are we to not be willing to extend this same love to those who simply disagree with us? Our conversations then must be laced with understanding, yet we must never compromise biblical accuracy for the sake of cultural relevancy. We as Christians ought not to participate, nor endorse, anything that cancels out another—God alone is every man’s just Judge. He alone determines another’s fate, not us. Remember, it is by God’s Sovereign grace and His election of you alone that you have a relationship with Jesus—and I for one praise God for that! “If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world” -John 15:19.
So, in these unprecedented and trying times, as believers, let’s work to bring about unity by sharing God’s love—knowing fully His love heals, redeems, and casts out all fear. Fear and anxiety of the future are at an all-time high, yet as followers of Jesus Christ, we have the blessed assurance, the peace that comes from knowing that the Lord is living in us. What a perfect reason to encourage peace and hope through our sharing and modeling the gospel of Jesus Christ for, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” –Galatians 3:28.
Brothers and sisters, we hold good news for the world— a world that so desperately needs God’s love. My prayer is that you fix your heart, mind, and soul on Jesus—not on those clanging cymbals of ever-changing cultural norms. Leave them to God. That you, Christian, if you have strayed, return to the feet of Jesus with repentance, a pure heart, and a desire to obtain Christ’s perspective on all that is happening around us. And, most importantly, if you don’t yet know Jesus Christ – I pray that you seek Him today. Asking Him to come into your heart—into your life. He loves you unconditionally, and He is the only remedy needed to heal your hurting heart.
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