The Fruits of the Spirit

For John, BLUF:  We are convincing ourselves that our fellow Citizens on the other side are terrible people, thus justifying our bad attitude toward them.  This is a wrong attitude.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Respectful in Dissent

From The Hal Lindsey Report, by Evangelist Hal Lindsey, 23 April 2021.

Here is the lede plus five:

Covid is not the only infection poisoning our world.  We also have an infection of rage.  It is the fashionable emotion of the moment.  We see it in all political parties, cultures, and generations.  It spreads from individual to individual and from group to group.  It is an important sign of the last days.  Sadly, it has infected many followers of Jesus.  But it doesn’t have to.

2 Timothy 3:2-7 gives a list of particulars about humanity’s mindset during the last days.  You could summarize it by saying that people of this time will have really bad attitudes.  Descriptive words include, “headstrong,” “proud,” “brutal,” and “haughty.”

Those words describe some of the ways people now express their displeasure with what they believe to be injustice.  But Christians should always manifest the fruit of the Spirit — “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:2223) — even in times of distress or abuse.

Don’t be infected by the rage of our times.  Stand against injustice and ungodliness.  But do so in just and godly ways.

Romans 13:1 says, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”  That does not mean we should obey every law.  God’s law should always trump human law.  But even in those severe cases when situations call for civil disobedience, we must do so respectfully.

That doesn’t mean every government is good.  When the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write Romans 13:1, Nero ruled most of the world.  He stands out as one of the worst scoundrels in history.  Nero was also in power when Peter wrote, “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him…” (1 Peter 2:13-14)

I think Preacher and Author Hal Lindsey (eg, The Late Great Planet Earth (1970)) is making a good point.  The words I especially like are "do so respectfully."  We are dealing with our Brother and Sister Americans.  We may see them as wrong, but we should not disrespect them.  President Trump, who himself felt disrespected, could be disrespectful.  Representative Maxine Waters recent stunt in Minneapolis was an act of disrespect.

We need to do better.  If you think someone is wrong, say so, but don't call their parentage or race or other chharacteristic into question.  Those are not of the person's choice.

Hat tip to my friend Maureen.

Regards  —  Cliff