How Do We Respond?

As I watch the news and social media today, I am reminded of Proverbs 29:2 which states “when the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:10 goes on to suggest that “Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright.” As I reflect on these words, it becomes evident that in today’s society people want to replace the Christian God (Jesus Christ) with self-worship. Many people pursuing the far-left agenda do not care about truth. Nor do they care about objective morality or other people. In reality the only thing they care about is their own agenda, which typically is self-worship. For example, look at many of the universities today, who say that they support free speech, but in fact they support only one kind of speech (the one that promotes worshiping their own agenda). Just recently Stanford’s DEI Dean shouted down a judge whose opinion she did not agree with. It is interesting how BLM, DEI, and the whole LBGTQQIA+ movement are all working together to idolize self and promote self-worship. And this self-worship revolves around sex, power, and money. Everything is focused on the pleasure of the individual person. Whatever happened to loving your neighbor, caring for others, and self-sacrifice? Today’s culture is promoting the me generation, a generation where everything is about what the individual wants and desires. They have no room for others, unless it benefits themselves, no room for God, and no room for any religion except self-worship and hedonism. One of the big questions of the day is how we as Christians respond to this kind of culture, a culture that is blatantly all about money, sex, and power. A culture where people worship themselves and do not care about the rights and well-being of others.

Is this the kind of society that people want to live in? How do we as Christians respond to all this madness and the unbridled sin at our doorstep? Is everything about sex, power, and money? Is everything about worshipping self and focusing on what I want? Is the individual person a god, and do they have the right to demand we all follow what they want? And if we do not follow them, do they have the right to kill us, persecute us, degrade us, yell in our face, and treat us like trash? It is a difficult time in our society today with so much evil being put right in our face, each and every day. But the issue was addressed many years ago by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:9-21.

Romans 12:9-21: Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil;

cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above

yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be

joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who

are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not

curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony

with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low

position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what

is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at

peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s

wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the

contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil,

but overcome evil with good.”

As Romans clearly states, we need to engage with all people sharing the blessings that the Lord has given to us. John Murray states it nicely when he says “the meaning then would be that we are not to be vanquished ethically by the evil heaped upon us. On the contrary, by well-doing we are to be the instruments of quenching the animosity and the ill-doing of those who persecute and maltreat us. How relevant to the believers high and holy calling! Vengeance, retaliation foments strife and fans the flames of resentment. How noble the aim that our enemy should be brought to repentance, at any rate to the shame that will restrain and perhaps remove the ill-doing which hostility prompts.”

So, let's engage and share the Gospel message to all who will listen! Let them know that righteousness does overcome evil and that all are welcome at the foot of the cross. Where God's love, mercy, and grace drive us to repent, ask for forgiveness, and pursue holiness as broken men and women.