Is it still okay to say it's not okay?
What I mean to say with my duck analogy is, of course, that
life is a paradox. The life of a Christian is definitely ducky. We live in
perfect peace while fighting against the devil, temptation, and even our own inner selves.
We accept that we’re wretched in our lost condition, an enemy of God. And then
just like that we’re washed clean and we’re called friends of God. We’re weak,
but made strong in Christ. We are most helpless, but never hopeless. We worship
a poor carpenter who was born in a barn and died on a cross, knowing that He is
King in our hearts and King of the world. We’re destined for Hell, but we’re
going to Heaven. We must stand strong against the evil surrounding us. And we must humbly
offer Christ to those standing against us.
I saw a post on social media proclaiming that “if
Christianity is to survive in America, then it is time we start standing up and
speaking out against people and organization that disrespect us!” Now, I may
have some friends and followers who liked this post and shared it. I get
it—good Christian people are fed up and demanding equal voice. Or at least a
little validation that they matter as much as anyone. It’s okay to speak up—we
still have that right. But what we get is a “sit down and shut up” attitude
from media and popular opinion. More and more, it seems everybody has a right
to everything. And we Christians are feeling, what…left out? Do we really
expect the approval of this world?
Okay, we should stand up for certain rights. I will stand up
for the rights of the smallest human beings, even if they’re not born yet. For
the rights of common normalcy, even if being normal is out of fashion. For the
rights of freedom, even if it’s edging away. While I’m standing, I’ll consider
that for every unborn human in danger, there’s a mother who needs godly council.
I’ll keep in mind that normal does not constitute righteousness. I’ll remember
that my guarantee of freedom by the rulers of the land may be temporal. My only
true freedom comes by the blood of Christ. And so I will stand up for the rights
of sinners to hear the message of the Gospel.
But there’s a duck in the pond claiming I have no rights.
I’m bought and paid for. I belong to Christ. I’m waiting patiently in a dark
place for my Redeemer’s light to break through. I have no fear of being left in
darkness, or of not getting my due recognition on Planet Earth. I can’t change
anything and I don’t want to gripe about it anymore. I don’t care who uses the
bathroom at Target. I’m pretty
As soon as I say that, the other duck swims my way, quacking
about a serious issue that is not being addressed—this post-modern need for
total acceptance of every deviation as normal. No good end will come from
regarding each pulse of self-awareness, because that pulse is rebellion against
God and it knows no limit. Gender identity has the attention of the media right
now, and it’s not foreign to me because it has affected a member of my family. As
a believer who must stand for God’s purposeful design in making both male and
female, I must also stand for every lost person’s right to hear the truth. Sometimes,
it might mean laying down my own rights.
Can I preserve my right to share the truth, without fighting
against what the Word of God and my own conscience tells me is wrong? I don’t
know. If God encourages me to fight, I’ll fight. If He impresses a silent war
of prayer, then I’ll pray. The law can’t govern how or what I pray, or to whom I pray. It can’t stop
me from speaking or writing or thinking the truth. It can try. But I belong to
a great King. This is His world and He will right the wrong. He’s the only One
who can transform a human being. We can’t transform ourselves, no matter how
hard we try. Sure, it gets confusing and sometimes I don’t know where I stand,
except that I stand on the firm foundation of Christ. So nevermind the ducks. He’s
got this.
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