Imagine being a Christian during the Roman persecutions. It must have been horrifying to wait your turn to be ripped apart by wild beasts. I wonder if some of the Christian prisoners were forced to feed and care for the very lions that would eventually kill them. I also wonder if we are doing something similar today.
Over the past few weeks, the media has been abuzz over the North Carolina law that expects people to use the bathroom appropriate to their biological makeup. In simple terms, if you have male body parts under that dress, you need to use the men’s restroom.
I have watched in shocked amazement as my adopted state and its leaders have been castigated for their supposedly blatant bigotry. The inflammatory and negative language being used betrays the viewpoint of the not-so-unbiased journalists and others.
A few short years ago, even the suggestion of allowing a man to use the same public restroom as a little girl would have been the controversial viewpoint. Apparently that is no longer the situation. It appears we now live in Bizzaro World (or mirror universe for the trekkers among us.)
One of the more frustrating aspects of this cultural malady has been the full-fledged extortion exerted by companies that Christians have supported for years. In one particularly hypocritical move, PayPal quickly joined the protest by withdrawing recent plans to expand in Charlotte. They have not, however, pulled operations out of several Muslim countries where homosexuality is punishable by death, not to mention a couple dozen more where homosexuals are routinely arrested and persecuted. I guess it’s just more popular – and less dangerous – to go after Christians in America.
The looming question is one that is very uncomfortable to those who do not want their lives disrupted. Will we, as Christians, stand back and watch our society crumble? Will we fund its demise? The Bible asks, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Perhaps we have gotten so caught up in looking to the sky (Acts 1:11) that we have forgotten that the Master calls us to “occupy until he comes.” (Luke 19:13)
Our silence and complacency has allowed this bullying to get as far as it has. It is way past time for the Church to defend its communities and families. It seems to me that the least we can do is quit feeding the lions.
Shalom,
Rodney