how our words affect our ability to spread the Gospel (bias, pt. 2)
dear friend,
Today, I write to you in a place of deep hurt and, truthfully, anger. Because it sucks to be associated with a movement or a people group that is known as being harsh, rude, mean, bitter, and downright nasty, when that type of behavior is TRULY uncalled for — especially when we SHOULD be associated with grace, love, justice, and kindness!
I say this because I recently joined this Facebook group for this one “harsher” Conservative figure/influencer that I enjoy listening to sometimes, and I seriously am thinking about removing myself from it because, in all honesty, it’s KINDA toxic.
And yes, I know words like “toxic” are overused and basically devoid of all meaning these days, but I hope you get what I mean when I use it in the way I do.
So, in said FB group, memes are posted ALL the time, mostly having to do with the illegitimacy of the arguments used by “the other side.” And while I totally think it is entirely valid to express concerns about someone’s arguments, debunking lies with truth and uncovering fallacies for what they are, what boils my blood, as a Christian Conservative who HAS been provoked for my belief in God, my stance on the Right, AND my appearance/what I physically look like, I find it VERY hurtful, rude, and absolutely, positively POINTLESS to use the way someone looks and acts as ground for “debunking” an argument or point they are trying to get across.
And don’t get me wrong, because I’d be a hypocrite if I said I hadn’t thought something mean about the way someone, especially that of a political figure or even just a friend on social media, presents themselves and, ultimately, portrays their arguments! However, this side of Conservatism NEEDS to be desperately called out! Because how can we show our fellow image-bearers (especially those who don’t even yet KNOW that they bear His image)the true self-sacrificial love of Christ if we’re consistently pointing out the way God created them?
Quote to me a time where name-calling didn’t result in the destruction of someone’s character. Tell me when calling someone fat, anorexic, stupid, idiotic, etc. has EVER resulted in a conclusion of each participating party understand where one another is coming from and why they believe what they believe. Haven’t got anything? Good, me neither. Because it never works out that way!
Ever heard of the Golden Rule? If you went to public school, and participated in some anti-bullying contest (like making anti-bullying posters or short skits for prize money — because nothing says “stop bullying” like a cash incentive, right? *insert me rolling my eyes into the back of my head here*) as a kid in elementary or middle school, chances are, you know it by heart. Wanna know where it originated from? That’s right, Jesus Christ Himself talks about it in Matthew 7!
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
As children of this world, the people who have not yet found their identities in Christ DON’T understand this! Therefore, they will use slurs, slanders, and profanities all day in their arguments against Christians and Conservatives. Because they don’t hold themselves to a higher moral standard, they ultimately DON’T see God as their judge, and at the end of the day, they probably won’t stop using said words/threats in their arguments to bring others down and feel as though they’ve lost the fight.
The difference and truth of the matter is that those of us who DO find our identities in Christ ARE being held to a higher moral standard. Because we are no longer slaves to sin, we are NOT called to use the things that the children of this world use (such as profanities, slurs, slanders, threats, and overall rude words that hurt rather than help).
As a member of Generation Z, I am a part of the most tolerant & diverse generation so far. And, honestly, it makes sense why. Because even though that isn’t exactly the BEST thing ever for me as a Christian (as I refuse to be tolerative of a fellow Christian’s sin that is destroying their life), I am still able to understand why people are the way that they are. I refuse to live in a sort-of “close-minded” box where everyone has to fit into a certain standard for me to be understanding of where they come from or why they believe what they believe.
The opposite is true of older generations — hence why I said I’m VERY tempted to leave said Facebook group, as it is overwhelmingly packed with these older generations that are *ahem* less tolerant than I am.
As an aside, let me also put this out there: as Christ-followers, we are NOT called to condemn someone to hell. The fact of the matter is, only God, the ultimate just and righteous Judge of all His creation, can do so. So condemning someone, whether they believe in God or not, to hell, doesn’t accomplish ANYTHING.
Jesus, as He does, ALSO talks about this in Matthew 7 — how convenient, am I right??
(Let me just remind everyone that condemnation judging is the kind of judging Jesus is going against here for us as Children of God — when it comes to calling out a brother or sister IN CHRIST for their sin that is damaging their own relationship with Christ, we should do so from a manner of love and grace, not one of condemnation or pride! Also, we should only do this after analyzing ourselves and making sure WE do not commit that same sin — because how could we ever act “holier than thou” if we’re fleshing out the same sin as the guy next door?)
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Bringing it back to my “Bias” blog post, we will never see the light of day if we are not utilizing kind words with our factual arguments. Moreover, Christ’s unfailing love will also never see the light of day in our words, no matter how many points of facts and logic we use; because we’ll never truly win over someone’s heart if we bring to the playing field their physical characteristics or demeanor.
Lest we want to be like the Pharisees, that Jesus oh-so-wonderfully called out on SEVERAL occasions before His arrest, death, and resurrection (see Matthew 23 — for real, read that WHOLE chapter; so good!), our ultimate goals should be these that Christ Himself commands (and also lives by):
“...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
If you aren’t loving your neighbor, no matter their ethnicity, age, political associations, physical appearance, or beliefs, I’m sorry to say it, friend, but you’re doing it wrong. People will never listen to us if we act exactly the way they do. We’re called to be holy, as several times this commandment from God Himself is quoted throughout the Bible (making it all the more important to pay attention to and do)!
Here’s one of the times God calls the Israelites to do so:
(Just for reference, I only included one instance; this is repeated two other times in the book of Leviticus, specifically chapter 19 verse 2, and chapter 20 verse 7):
“ For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”
Although many of the rules and regulations in the book of Leviticus don’t exactly apply to us (as back then they hadn’t yet received Christ and now we are under His saving grace through His death and resurrection), I still feel it is valid to use these, because if God commanded His very own people, the Israelites, chosen for Himself and to be used for His glory, to be holy, then what’s stopping us from applying it to ourselves? Hasn’t He also adopted and saved us from our past sins, therefore making it applicable to us?
Plus, put simply, Peter repeats this very commandment from Leviticus in the New Testament, as seen below; so, yes, it does still apply to us today.
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””
As Christians, let’s be better than the children of this world: let’s be God’s kids, through-and-through, in our words, thoughts, and actions — especially of that toward others. Let’s try our best to love others as Christ would. Let’s dine with sinners, as Jesus did, without conforming to their bad habits that go against God, and be the salt and light that Christ called us to be!
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
So, friend, can you say you are truly living out the two greatest commandments of God, even among those who don’t believe the same things that you do? Can you say you’re living as salt and light, sprinkling truth into loving conversations with those who may not believe?
Try this: if next time your argument toward someone of a different political affiliation had absolutely ZERO to do with their politics and everything (or something) to do with the way they look, act, sound, or identify, ask yourself if you, as a Child of God who is no longer living under this world’s standards, but under God’s, should say or post that thing.
Let me just put this disclaimer out there: this post is meant to call out all the older gens that act in this way through love! Although I came off a bit harsher than usual, I wanted to make this post so that I can be a bridge between the understanding of Gen Z with Millennials, Gen X’ers, and Baby Boomers. Although saying “okay Boomer” became a meme last year as a thing to say to those older generations who don’t understand Millennials or Gen Z’ers, I want to give a voice to those of us who just want y’all to truly understand where we’re coming from, why we’re so sensitive and “get triggered'“ so often even though it seems as though we’re “lazy” or “uneducated” or “haven’t experienced the real world.” In reality, we’ve seen the, erm, different mentalities that a lot of y’all have adopted, not of your own accord, but because that’s just how y’all were raised. Obviously, not every person from every generation is shaped or molded the same way; so if you are in the aforementioned generations, but you don’t act in the stereotypical way that they do, this isn’t meant for you so please don’t take it to heart, haha!
Anyway, I hope this came off well. If so (or if not), let me know what you’re thinking or feeling with a comment below!
Anyway, I definitely feel much better after getting that off of my chest. Stay safe & healthy! Also, stay tuned for my next post, ‘cause even I don’t know when it’ll be out, haha!
much love & more,
