Recently, there have been multiple occasions where Christians have gathered to protest another person's or group's freedom. There was a Satanic group that had some kind of meeting in OKC, and some believers went to protest. An atheist group has put up some billboards promoting athiesm, and believers were outraged. Many, not all, Christians have shown their ugly side over the mosque being built in NYC. This is still America, isn't it?
My proposal is based on I Peter 2:11-23; the heading in my Bible says
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, (Debbie's note: employees) in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters (bosses), not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[a]
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Some people will see this as letting the pagans take over. If you believe what the Bible teaches, this world already belongs to the pagans. I certainly believe we must keep ourselves blameless, but lately I don't think some Christians are very good ambassadors for Christ. I don't think this means we should just ignore everything that is going on around us, but I do think we need to stage a respectful event that brings glory to God if we want to challenge another's rights.
Let's give this a try. Don't just wear the t-shirt or the bracelet. Really ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" When you encounter someone who insults you because of your faith, be as Christlike as is humanly possible so that they can find no fault in your example. I've known some Christians who can do this; I'm sorry to say, I haven't always represented Christ in the best way.
Hey, I'm now fifty-six years old. I've learned a lot in all those years, so I'll make every effort for the rest of my life to think before I argue, think before I spout off, think before I comment. Man, that's a lot of thinking.
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