The plague of reaction

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This morning as I was goofing around on the guitar prior to our offering song, I had stumbled on, "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" and so when the worship team was offering ideas for an offering song, I volunteered my new found song. Our financial guru who is wise beyond his years overheard my song choice and knows that I am of the fabric that I would have played it. He kindly and politely suggested an edit to my choice with his reasoning being, "best not to offend." He was reacting before there was even a reason to have a reaction.

One thing you must understand, in church...sorry, in Church, Santa Clause represents a departure from the original intent of Christmas. To some he represents a cheapening of the holiday by way of gift gluttony and letting ourselves be overrun with consumerism; even if for just a day. 

So his caution was not for himself, but rather to, "Keep the Christ in Christmas!" Which I fully support. But I shot back at him, perhaps under my breath, perhaps he heard me, and said, "No, forget that! Let them be offended! Let them be so offended their heads pop!" (now don't mistake me, I love my church, rather the people at my church, but the idea of preemptively unoffending someone is against everything I know. But stay with me, sometimes we teach as we learn for ourselves.)

This is not unlike me, sometimes I am falsely passionate because a thought is growing in my head and it's fledgling legs find their way out of my mouth before the idea is mature enough to share. This particular Sunday morning there is no response and so the thought rebounded back to me and I was forced to analyze the statement and reflect. And then I had an epiphany. "lightening just struck my brain"

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one’s after them; Honest people are relaxed and confident, bold as lions.

I had to ask myself is this what we are doing? Has our reactionism turned into a full on run before we've even committed a crime?

If you are not aware, the United States has become so reactionary, so temperamental, so easily offended, that it has almost collapsed our reasoning. We skirt issues that would otherwise be dealt with because the reaction may not be favorable. We observe 10 seconds of video and conclude the entirety of a situation based on it and enact social justice on people we don't even know. 

So is this verse indicative of what is happening? Is there anything in the bible that can help the believer through a mine field of cry bullies? Did God give us the tools to manage all of this hyper-sensitivity?

Well let's be clear who we are talking about. This is the God who required Abraham to sacrifice his son. This is the Messiah who said, "eat my flesh and drink my blood." This is also the God who provided the ram in place of Issac, and the Messiah whose blood was poured out and whose flesh was beaten to a pulp for our sake. 

No doubt there are enough reasons to be offended just in these two ideas that even at the time of the event cause many to turn heel and run.

But lets look at some verses that may help shed some light on what the believer should do with their own energy, time, and emotions.

For keeping your own reactionism in check: 

• Matthew 7 says to, "judge not..." and, "in the same manor, so will you be judged."
• John 8 shows the easiness of forgiveness when the sin has no direct effect on you.
• James 4 chants the irresponsibility mantra: 
  
• Romans 14 tells you to stop squabbling over debatable issues. Jesus died to become the atonement for our sins. He was raised back to life, defeating death in the process, and this is all we need to love one another.

The list could go on and on. However what kind of blog would this be without a ribbon on it? So here is the ribbon: 

"If you find yourself wanting to react to something, ask yourself if it affects you directly. If the answer is no, move on, your opinions are not needed here!"

For defending ourselves against this reactionary culture:

• 1 John 4 says to test the spirit of the thing. Not every suggestion is meant to build you up. If it's not from God...
  
• Proverbs 3 says to trust God and let him straighten out the path before you. Sometimes what seems like a roadblock towards your goal is diversion from the traps that lay ahead.
• Isaiah 59 says that when the enemy comes in like a flood, he shall raise up a standard. 
• Psalms 1 says to avoid openly sinful people and scoffers, (scoffers are people who scoff at stuff. Presently we call them jaded or cynical. Generally speaking, people who treat nothing as sacred.)
• Matthew 6 says to not worry about gaining favor on earth, but rather gain favor in heaven. That probably is not the most accurate way to state that. Don't focus on what is deemed important on earth, car, house, job, status...but rather focus on the heavenly things, forgiveness, love, joy, hope.

Again this list goes on and on. But just like in the last  section, lets put a bow on it. 

To those who would react, chill out and think before you do anything. If you cannot think about it clearly, pray!

To those suffering from a reactionary culture, just trust God and always try your best. He offers to be your champion and savior, so let him.

As far as my comment goes, "Let them be so offended their heads pop!" I think Lee reacted exactly the way that Romans 12 tells us to:

14-16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. [iFAILED] Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

17-19 Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody [iFAILED]. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

20-21 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you [iFAILED]; get the best of evil by doing good.

Thank you, Lee, for doing it right!

To close I think that what Proverbs 28:1 suggests is that with a guilty conscience, we flee though no one chases us. But if we have exercised our best selves and strived for the highest good, only then can we stand firm and brave amidst the torrential downpour of tears from the professionally offended.

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