There are only a few times in my life that I've sensed the Lord "talking" to me almost audibly. The moment is sacred and it leaves me grinning because I KNOW that I KNOW that I KNOW that was Him.
This happened on Friday. The Roe v. Wade decision had been handed down a few hours earlier. I alerted my parents then was mulling over in my head how I might respond to the news to put it on social media. I felt as a Christian I needed to say something.
So I took to social media and began scrolling. Most of the posts were full of anger. LOTS of anger. Then you had the few posts that expressed their joy. Finally I came across one post that was in support of the ruling, but was also highlighting the very real needs of women facing this decision and it made me think of some of the issues in ways I hadn't before.
I asked her if I could copy her post and she readily gave me permission.
But I felt a hesitation to post. At that moment I didn't realize God would be talking to me shortly thereafter.
He told me to be silent. And wouldn't you know, "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, began to guard my heart and my mind..." (translation: me)
Some will say that holding my tongue is a way to hold back the beliefs I as a Christian hold dear. And in holding back, I won't be able to witness to a world that needs to hear those beliefs.
Some will say, GOOD! No one needs to hear what you are peddling and it's about time to shut up.
But those voices shouldn't guide me. They almost did, though. I almost posted. Almost let everyone know what I thought. But would that have benefited God?
Not according to Him. Not according to the check in my spirit.
He doesn't need me to fight His battles. Doesn't need you either. He's the Almighty! He's got this.
He needs us to work, not talk.
Aren't you tired of hearing politicians spew a bunch of campaign promises and then never seeing any change?
Guess what? Non-Christians are tired of hearing Christians spew a bunch of beliefs and Bible verses and then never see their lives change or the things around them change. Non-Christians are sick and tired of hearing that we think THEY should change when they don't see love and compassion coming from us. Non-Christians are done with hearing that THEIR lifestyles aren't getting them into heaven and then seeing Christians acting JUST AS THEM.
Christian - we have a historic opportunity. We have to opportunity to put our faith into action. James 1:27 says, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." Psalms 82:3 says, "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed." Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; please the case of the widow." Zechariah 7:9-10 says, "This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'"
We need to stop talking and start listening. We need to stop saying what changes we think they need to make and start helping them right where they are at. We need to anticipate their needs and find a way to fill them, way before they ask.
We need to be Christ to a struggling nation. We need to be Christ to the fatherless, to the scared, to the financially strapped, to the weak, to the single moms and dads, to the young families, to our co-workers, to EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES DIFFERENTLY THAN US.
And we need to do be Christ WITHOUT the intention of changing their minds to what we believe. That is God's job. Stop trying to be Christ. You were only asked to be Christ-like, Christ-minded.
If you can't foster or adopt, you could give up your latte a few times a month and donate to an organization already helping this cause. If you can't financially give, you could donate your time. If you are already strapped for time, you could add groceries to your grocery order, and deliver it to the food banks. YOU CAN. I CAN. WE MUST.
Friends, consider putting a stop to sharing your opinion on social media and redirect that energy to benefit the kingdom in a tangible way. James 2:14-17 says it plainly, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Okay, Christians, we've prayed that the lives of unborn children be granted the chance to live. Now it's our turn to put our faith into action.
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