It’s Big Boy Pants Time!
Almost everyone has experienced this at one time or another!
You know that “inside voice” and “outside voice” most of us struggle with at times (ok, sure, I struggle with this, but I’m applying this broadly—work with me!)? I remember a meeting I was in a few years ago and there was a spirited discussion on a topic I am reasonably passionate about. One of the other “participants” made a statement which I considered logically weak and immature (I was among my peers; I wasn’t berating a six-year-old!), I said in a sotto voce “Someone needs to put on their big boy pants.”
Because of the academic nature of this setting, the individual complained to the professor about my “uncalled for” comment.
The professor told him the same thing!
This is also the current state of the American Evangelical reaction to the 2016 Election season. For far too long—well, at least since the 1980 Election—American Evangelicals have rested in the fact they can choose to impact the American electoral process by merely exercising their collective wills. We (I am an evangelical Christian) have come to assume it is our right and privilege to have a candidate, and even a political party, which will minimally parrot our values back to us on demand.
Unfortunately, we have allowed ourselves to develop a sense of appreciation and even entitlement to being lied to in the process. We have become so infatuated with who we are and what we think “should be,” we are shocked, demeaned, offended, dismayed, taken aback, demoralized (do I really need to continue here?) that the two front running candidates are acting like people who do not represent who we are and our values!
No need to fear my fellow American Evangelical! Trust me, they do not represent our values!
As believers in Jesus Christ, we need to remember the Bible teaches quite clearly things will become much worse before Jesus Christ returns to this earth. We do not, and never have, lived in a Christian nation. God, through His grace and mercy, has rewarded in the past the faithfulness of His people in the United States by granting them a peaceful and friendly society in which to exercise their beliefs. Yet because God loves us and will never enable us to either harm ourselves or others, He is withdrawing this protection so that the Church in America will grow stronger and even “grow up.”
The first century Church during the days of the Apostles never under any delusion that their government loved them, represented their beliefs and values and always sought to insure their freedom to worship. Christians in the early church were hunted like proverbial wild dogs and persecution was rampant and indeed expected.
Yet the Church grew. It flourished in the face of hatred and intolerance. If American believers would force themselves off their religious couch, this almost herculean mental effort would allow them to see God is doing a similar work of His greatness in China, North Korea and many of the predominantly Muslim nations today. Not because God has provided “a peaceful environment,” but because believers in other parts of our world today actually must live their faith and know what they believe.
In 2016, American believers must come to the realization they have made a political party their idol. No political party can ever take the place of the Spirit of God or the sovereign power only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ!
It’s time American Christianity puts on their “big boy” pants……!
Posted on October 13, 2016, in Apologetics and tagged 2016 Election, American, believers, big boy pants, China, Christianity, Church, electoral, evangelicalism, Evangelicals, first century, inside voice, intolerance, Jesus Christ, North Korea, outside voice, passionate, persecution, relationship, sotto voce, Spirit of God. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Life. Seriously? Funny! 
Great word!
The politicization of American Christianity over the last 30 years has been rife with inconsistency and fraught with outright hypocrisy. In losing the culture war over core social values, we have stuck to institutional (mis)representation rather than a personal, daily reflection of the life and teachings of Christ.
Caught between fatalistically accepting the oncoming hard times that frame the return of Jesus and yet seemingly wanting to be salt and light in an evil world, we have sold our support to the highest political pacifier. Enter the idol.
In typical biblical fashion, the key to curing this political idolatry is revealed clearly in scripture: We should, as God’s called people, humble ourselves, pray, seek Him, and repent (2 Chronicles 7:14). At that point, perhaps our rejection of demagoguery and demonstration of maturity might allow for a continued season of that “peaceful and friendly society in which to exercise (our) beliefs” we have enjoyed. Yes, at that point. Then there is what is more likely to happen; preferring the pain of failure to the pain of discipline, we will go quietly into that good night rather than “rage, rage against the dying of the light.” (Dylan Thomas)
Great to see you back here. Keep writing!
Your kindness is amazing! Thanks for the encouragement!