There is nothing new in the world today that hasn’t happened time and time again. The only thing that can be new is how you and I respond.
—————-
“Stay in your lane” is one the most prevalent messages heard today. There’s a virus and your actions need to stay in the approved lanes, like wearing masks (N.C. Mandatory Mask Requirement ). If your opinions are outside the accepted lanes of conduct, don’t give them (Drew Brees Doesn’t Agree With Disrespecting American Flag)
Another message is that along the way to the new and better world, we should erase people and words that carry offensive baggage. People like Woodrow Wilson (Princeton Removes Wilson’s Name). Words like ‘dixie’ or ‘antebellum’ (Rush to Abandon Words and Symbols). If you don’t think George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Jesus Christ can be put on this list, you aren’t keeping up.
The story being told is that we need to, and can, create a better, more Utopian world because the one we have now is not working. The path to this better world is full of accusations that are leading the whole world astray. This is the same story told in the books of Genesis (Did God really say…Gen. 3:10) and Revelation (Satan, who leads the whole world astray…Rev. 12:9-10). All it requires is for you to stay quiet and submit to staying in your lane while we get there.
The result of the current climate will not be a world free from racism, classism and prejudice. The result will be bondage and a loss of freedoms, aka, tracing, speech police, tracking your movements, mandatory vaccines (Supreme Court upholds compulsory vaccines.)…(Univ. of Tenn. requires Covid-19 vaccine when available)…..the list is just getting started.
If we get down to the heart of the matter, the current distractions really need you to forget God. Forget God is sovereign, in control and created a perfect world to begin with. In fact, let’s make sure we forget God completely by leaving Him out of our conversations, politics, governments and definitely the schools that teach us how and what to think. Toppling God and His order IS the heart of the matter.
Many of the accusations of injustice, discrimination and prejudice are legitimate and the same as they ever were. Yes, people feel marginalized because they have been marginalized. Black people have been discriminated against not only in America but across the world for centuries. Look back in the Old Testament and realize Moses was ostracized because he married out of his lane and into another race.
Native Americans were raped of their land and heritage long before slaves were brought here. In the day, Gentiles were called worse than the ‘n’ word when they were known as the ‘uncircumcised’. Various races (Caucasians as well) were considered so repugnant people would not walk on the same side of the road with them.
The spirit behind the move to topple and re-write history is not a move to right the wrongs or create a better world. The attempt to dismantle the system is to get away from the historical fact that in the Garden of Eden, God provided the very ideal world people seek. But, it was God’s world order, not man’s.
Lest we forget, Adam stayed quiet and in his lane allowing Satan to deceive Eve. Christians cannot remain silent and in their designated lanes this time.
The world is being deceived again with thinking these are new issues we can solve by changing the world order…by getting rid of reminders of the past. Just the opposite is true. We need to remember God and his Word. We need to remember God stepped into history once before and sent his Son, Jesus. It’s going to take His return to get this straightened out. But if you read the last chapter and believe the Book, the next time He shows up He’s coming to judge the mess.
In the book of Colossians, we are reminded that people who follow God’s world order can be free from all the ism’s that plague the global protests. HOW? ‘…set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.’ It starts with putting the old mindset to death and submitting to God by following Jesus.
The New Testament teaches once you accept Christ, ‘you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and non-religious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.’ Colossians 3:9-11 Message Translation. Kinda sounds like the results all the movements are after, minus Christ.
Instead of following Jesus, people are being encouraged to strive towards a man-made Utopian society. The very word ‘utopia’ conjures images of a more ideal and perfect legal, social and political system. The Latin and Greek origin of the word mean ‘nowhere’, an ‘imaginary and indefinitely remote place.’ It is pure deception to think we can find compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience anywhere except for the Kingdom of God.
I don’t deny the systemic problems in our world (and in me) that are the root of the unrest we see in the headlines. In fact, I confirm it. But the origin is sin and rebellion from God’s plan and order for the world. The cure is repentance and returning to God.
Peaceful demonstrations and protests can highlight the indignities people are suffering. The indignity of jobs being taken away, police brutality, racism and hatred. Violence, destruction and anarchy don’t achieve the greatness we need.
We need to see and know greatness now more than ever. Greatness is rarely seen and defined by affirming one’s rights. On the contrary, greatness is usually defined by suffering indignity. Think MLK. Think Rosa Parks. Think Jesus Christ. Suffering for what is right produces better results than looting and burning. We know this ‘…because we know that suffering produces perseverance: perseverance, character: and character, hope.’ Romans 5:3-4.
It can be difficult to see ourselves as we really are. It takes more than a reflection in a mirror or a U Tube clip. We need to accurately remember the FULL history of this country and the world. We need to see and hear what is at the heart of the matter now more than ever before.
You can see, hear and feel the struggle to re-set the order of creation. Christians cannot remain quiet in their lane and secluded from the discussion. These are spiritual issues at their core, not issues of class or privilege. Men and women of God need to step up and speak the Word of God.
——-
‘What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.’ Ecclesiastes 1:9.
——-
Make no mistake, this is an age-old spiritual issue about turning back to God. Nothing else will work.