How'd That Work Out For You?

2020-The Year of COVID19 and Elections… the Year of Hatred-Racism-Name Calling.. a really good year.  For most people, they found the excuse they have been seeking to spew hate, false information, participate in name calling… like I said, a really good year.

It would be less a shock to me if the people that I am talking about were the kind that normally act that way.  However, they are for the most part, people I admire, trust and love.  People who have demonstrated a love for God and His Kingdom.  But alas, that love is lost.  A unique poison has entered their bloodstream and it is slowly sucking the life out of them. Slowly, but surely, as Bono says in the song “Peace on Earth” when he laments “They become the monster, so the monster will not break them”.

Yes, you stood your ground. Yes, you told your truth. Yes, you blasted your opposition on Facebook. Yes and yes…. My question is this: How’d That Work Out For You?

But let us pretend for a moment that its not just about you.  I want to ask you this question.. How many people were encouraged, uplifted, strengthened and guided by your words during this year?  How many people would look at your Facebook page and say, yes, I have a place at that table?  How many people would say clearly, without reservation,  the example set forth by His Followers this year have pointed me to the truth that Jesus is the answer? Its been quite the opposite.

Tony Campolo was asked once when looking back on his life, what is it like to have turned so many people towards Jesus.  Tony answered (as only Tony could), “I do not think of that at all. What keeps me up at night is thinking about anyone I may have turned off about Jesus”.  Wow Tony.. just wow..

Your candidate won or lost.. COVID19 is real to you or it is not…and you blasted anyone and everyone that crossed your path with any conflicting or opposing views. Meanwhile, racism rages on, poverty is climbing, families have lost everything, suicide rates are climbing and the good news.. we all know where you stand on issues that in the end…. Did not change the world into a better place at all. Yes, that would be a hard no…

People are struggling, suffering, facing overwhelming situations-and when they look outside themselves-for prayer-or maybe someone to simply say-we will make it… What do they find? What do they read? Words of love, encouragement and hope? How the love of Jesus can guide us through all the challenges? Nope, they hear the hate-filled rhetoric of an angry mob of false prophets and social media pundits claiming that if their side does not win, the world as we know it, ends.  We are not experiencing a crisis of America-we are facing a crisis of faith.

Oh, David, what about the children? Don’t you care about the future we are leaving for our children? Can we PLEASE for the love of all that matters, stop pretending we care about the children? Do you care about the children when you promote hate speech, anger and arguments? Do you care about the children as they watch the adults, you know, the people that are supposed to be preparing the way for their future, fight each other at every turn? Do you care so so so much for the children that all you have is blame and shame for the “others”? What they saw from us this year, us “adults” was a strong helping of “good luck” and “shove off”… In the last ten years, the young person  (10-24 year old) suicide rate and climbed a shocking 57.4% and this year… it climbed again.. but hey, you really care about the children.  How’d That Work Out For You? It is working out great for them.

By the way… if you care so so so much for the children-do you stop and say hello to them when you pass them on the street? Do you give them a smile-when they are walking by you in the grocery store? I have seen what this does for them.. and that is care… that is love.. that is Jesus…

Is the situation repairable? I am a hopeless believer in we can do better.  When things are a mess, when people are a mess, we need to get back to fundamentals-things that we can do now and right away.  We can start by being kind-by listening and not talking-by just opening up our hearts and homes to the belief-we all need forgiveness.  

Kindness and Love- Can Rule!  When we decide that the actions and words of the angry and misguided people would no longer control our happiness or our world (So, basically Facebook).  When we chose it invest in love and not hate.  That kindness and love can grow and become a contagious type of kindness and love that spread to others around me. Love, again as Bono sings, is bigger than anything in its way.

Consider Micah 6:8 (NASB) “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”

That word “good” used here in the Hebrew is the same “good’ used in the Creation Story when the Creator looks at the work He has done and says, “it is good”.  That is the target-the goal-the standard-for our lives and interactions with each other. 

We do not get to pick one line out of the verse and live on that. This verse-creates the balance-we all need to return to and do it very fast. When we walk humbly, we stop the name calling-we become considerate of others views and opinions-we think of the possibility that we could learn  from each other. When we love kindness-it attaches to everything we say and do-causing the intent of our hearts to be pure-and we spread love like the Parable of the Sower as told by Jesus-spread it everywhere without reserve or caution. And lastly, when we seek to do justice-it can only be achieved when all of humanity-regardless of race, creed, color, gender or any life choice-when we seek to make the world better for all-we will achieve making it better for the one.

Biblical Repentance was never a cry to the world in large. It was not aimed at “sinners and degenerates”. Biblical Repentance was a call to those that claim the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as their God.  It is and remains a call to a humble heart and hands that seek to build and not destroy.  It call me to tears-to recognize my shortcomings-my faults-and do the work necessary to love, guide and lead as God gives me strength.

It is calling you to. When you are ready to get this message to your church, contact me. I will be right there.

David William Fournier (Rev. Dr.)

Centre For Hebraic Insights