And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
—James 3:6
While you can delete a tweet, a Facebook post, or a blog post, the spoken word is heard immediately and remembered forever, especially when those words are hurtful. We are tempted to blow up when angry and to let words fly without control. Psalm 141:3 says, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” Our mouths can put us in awkward situations. Mine has many times. As a teenager, I’ll admit that I talked back to my parents, especially my dad, far too much. At one point, it got so bad my parents discussed sending me away to a boarding school. The idea of going away didn’t bother me, especially if it was an all-boys school (the fantasy probably was better than the reality would have been). Once my parents realized that I was perfectly happy with the idea of going to a boarding school, they dropped the subject, much to my dismay.
Eventually, my Grandmama sat me down as told me that I needed to deal with my father like she did my grandfather. She said, “Just keep your mouth shut, and eventually, he’ll shut the hell up.” It turned out to be good advice, though it was hard to do. My father was one of those people who believed in “Do as I say, not as I do.” It’s one of the reasons I hate hypocrisy so much, and it was hard not to point out his hypocrisy.
But it is not just talking back that kept me in trouble. I often said things I shouldn’t have said, but I have never been a person to intentionally inflict harm on someone with my words. That does not mean I did not inflict damage with my words. It just wasn’t intentional. Proverbs 12:18 tells us, “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Remember the phrase “open mouth, insert foot?” I’m sure all of us have been guilty of that one. Once you say hurtful words aloud, you can’t take them back. You can only live them down, which is often very hard to do. Hurtful words are more damaging than physical hurt, leaving scars on the soul and spirit.
A wise man learns to weigh his words before speaking. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” This wisdom comes with age and experience. Anger confounds many people in our world today. We simply don’t know how to handle our anger as we have in the past. Some of that has to do with the anonymity of the internet, which some people use as an excuse to inflict hurt on others with words. I also blame the last four years of having a bully as a president, someone who made fun of a young girl with autism or a disabled reporter suffering from arthrogryposis. He did so for laughs and the enjoyment of his audience. It was not only immature, but it was mean spirited. Because of the example set by our previous president, people felt emboldened and encouraged to show their cruel ways, whether that was through homophobia, white supremacy, misogyny, or any other disgusting and ungodly reasons. We must resist the temptation of hurtful or angry words, and instead, we should show the world God’s kindly words and deeds.
We must think before we speak. When we pause and consider our words, it is often an excellent remedy for anger. We don’t need to delay indefinitely, but we need to give ourselves time to consider the consequences of our words more carefully. If you’ve got an issue you need to deal with, you need to do so. Anger delayed indefinitely becomes bitterness. That’s worse than anger. Anger isn’t always a sin, as we can be angry over injustice. However, bitterness is a sin because it means we have refused to forgive. If we respond impulsively, we tend to react in anger. If we wait to talk about whatever conflict we’re dealing with, we will be more rational and reasonable when we do. The longer we hold our temper, the better our response will be. We need to give ourselves time to think.
Setting a guard over our mouth as we are instructed to do in Psalm 141:3 requires that we keep our mouth shut when we are irritated and that we seek the Lord’s help to say the right words with the right tone or, perhaps, not speak at all. When it comes to controlling our speech, it’s a lifelong work. Thankfully, God is working in us, giving us “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
—Psalm 107:4-6
White evangelicals believe they see truths that you and I cannot. This is one of the most dangerous aspects of evangelicalism. As law enforcement tracks down and identifies the insurrectionist terrorists of January 6, it has become more clear who they are and what they wanted. Amid the QAnon adherents, anti-Semites, neo-Confederates, and revolutionary cosplayers were the evangelical faithful: those who see themselves as the vanguard of God’s end-times army. Their proud participation in the riot represented some of the most extreme political actions that any group of evangelicals has taken in recent history. These evangelical participants in that mob believed they were part of a holy war. Insurgents carried signs that read “Jesus Saves,” “In God We Trust,” “Jesus 2020,” and “Jesus Is My Savior, Trump Is My President.” One man marched through the halls of Congress carrying a Christian flag, another a Bible. They chanted, “The blood of Jesus covering this place.”
These “Christians” apparently believe that they had no choice but to try to overthrow Congress. For months, various evangelicals have claimed in sermons, on social media, and during protests that malicious forces stole the election, conspired to suppress Christian liberties, and aimed to suppress on their freedom to worship and spread the Christian gospel. This message is not something new. It has been a message of the Trump era to the Christian faithful warning them that only Trump could save Christianity. Evangelical leader Franklin Graham threw his support behind Donald Trump throughout his 2016 campaign and continued to do so during Trump’s presidency. Most of the evangelical community followed suit. Now, Graham is still firmly behind Trump, even though the president incited an insurrection and repeated baseless lies that the election was stolen from him. In fact, Graham championed those conspiracy theories, and now, he’s comparing the Republicans who voted in favor of impeachment with the Christian disciple Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus for thrity pieces of silver. Like many in the far-right Christian conservative movement, Graham believes that Donald Trump is Christianity’s new savior.
Liberty University’s think tank, the Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty, which was launched in 2019 and named after its co-founders: Jerry Falwell Jr., the now disgraced and former Liberty University president and Charlie Kirk, the political activist and founder of Turning Point USA, has gone so far as to try to take Christ out of Christianity because they perceive Him as too weak. The Falkirk website states: “Bemoaning the rise of leftism is no longer enough. Although we do, as Jesus taught, turn the other cheek in our personal relationships, we cannot abdicate our responsibilities on the cultural battlefield. There is too much at stake in the clash for the soul of our nation. Bold, unapologetic engagement and initiative is needed on the part of every conservative American.” Falkirk churns out a steady stream of propaganda to convince Christian conservatives they are oppressed victims in society, church, politics, culture, child-rearing, and every other dimension of life. Commentators at the center do not believe “a real Christian can vote Democratic” because of the “blasphemous accouterments” of the party. People who disagree with Falkirk’s politics are treated as part of the shadowy, undefined cabal of “they” and “them” that persecutes and hates conservative Christians. The Falkirk Center doesn’t like it when other groups—racial minorities, for example—describe reality in terms of oppression and power, because this is a central part of Falkirk’s propaganda. They believe that if Christian patriots have power, they must use it to reshape culture and push out the leftists. If Christians have lost power, they must regain it before they are crushed by the elites. On January 6, the day of the storming of the U.S. Capitol and the certification of Joe Biden’s election, Falkirk perfunctorily denounced the violence at the Capitol. But just one day later, the center was still peddling fears of massive voter fraud, saying that the fraud “debate” will be an open question for years to come. The Falkirk team seems utterly oblivious to the fact that it was precisely their brand of rhetoric—besieged, terrified, Christian nationalist, and masculinity-obsessed—that stirred up the anti-democratic rioters of last week.
The photograph above is from a 2017 Oval Office meeting of religious right leaders “laying hands” on and praying for Trump. The picture has been featured in advertising by the Falkirk Center. The ad features text above the picture that reads, “Pray for Our President.”
The “Christian” insurrectionists believed that the final days of history were at hand and that the Capitol was the site of a battle so important and significant it would have the power to usher in a new era of Christian dominance. As one evangelical from Texas told The New York Times, “We are fighting good versus evil, dark versus light.” This belief comes from a movement in Christianity (and a few other religions) called Millennialism. Christianity and Judaism have both produced messianic movements that featured millennialist teachings—a belief that an earthly kingdom of God is at hand. These millennialist movements often led to considerable social unrest. Many if not most millennialist groups claim that the current society and its rulers are corrupt, unjust, or otherwise wrong and will soon be destroyed by a powerful force. The harmful nature of the status quo is considered intractable without the anticipated dramatic change. The French sociologist and Dominican priest Henri Desroche observed that millennialist movements often envisioned three periods in which change might occur. First, the movement’s elected members will be increasingly oppressed, leading to the second period in which the movement resists the oppression. The third period brings about a new utopian age, liberating the members of the movement. The current millennialist movement believes that Donald Trump is their messiah and will deliver them from the oppressive nature of liberals, i.e., the Democratic Party and especially its progressive wing. Trump and his followers love to invoke the word “socialism” as the greatest evil that exists. I have heard many times, “I don’t want to live in a socialist country.”
Much has been made about the evangelical community’s relationship with Donald Trump. Typically, observers tend to view this alliance as purely transactional, with evangelicals holding their noses and pledging their support to the least Christian of men to get something in return—most notably, a trio of religiously conservative Supreme Court justices. The misguided and short-sighted belief that evangelicals are overlooking the unchristian behavior of Trump is dangerous. I have talked to some of these people, and they honestly believe that Trump is the most Christian president in history, though they can never articulate why they think this other than the misguided belief that he is pro-life. If you think that evangelicals are just overlooking his behavior, they are not. They are blinded to it, and they are so caught up in a religious fervor that they cannot see what is staring them in the face. They have lost their way, and they are not just wandering in the wilderness. They don’t even realize that they are lost or even in the wilderness. The Capitol attack revealed in all its gruesome detail the extent to which Trump channels the apocalyptic fervor that has long animated many white evangelical Christians in this country. They believe the end times are near and their flawed but “King David-like” leader Donald Trump will save them.
From the moment that Christian separatists landed on North America’s shores, they have espoused end-times conspiracies. Their messages have been relatively innocuous most of the time, part of the broader millennialist outlook shared among most major religious traditions. But these conspiracies can have dangerous consequences—and sometimes they lead to violence. Take, for example, the results of Jonestown. On November 18, 1978, 909 individuals died in Jonestown, from apparent cyanide poisoning, in an event termed “revolutionary suicide” by the cult leader Jim Jones. Jones led a left-wing oriented cult, but current evangelical millennialists have taken up the same religious zeal. Throughout American history, every evangelical generation has seen some of its believers driven to extreme conspiracies that blend with other strains of militant political faith. In the Trump era, with the destabilizing impact of a global pandemic and a devastated economy, white evangelical Christianity has become entangled with a broader revolution against the government to keep Donald Trump in office, culminating (so far) in an insurrection in the name of Jesus Christ breaking out in tandem with the Trump voter fraud coup. What might be the most fighting aspect of this is that the violence of January 6 is, in all likelihood, a foretelling of where this group might go once Trump is finally out of office and their desperation reaches a fever pitch.
Evangelical apocalypticism is grounded in a complicated and convoluted reading of the biblical books of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation, some of the most violent books in the Bible. Because of a confluence of factors such as the death and destruction caused by the Civil War, massive immigration, growing religious diversity in the United States that threatened Protestant power, and new secularizing forces, such as Darwin’s theory of evolution, a small group of evangelical preachers, businessmen, college professors, publishers, and laypeople began reading their Bibles with new eyes. This group became increasingly influential and took hold as a reaction to the Roaring Twenties and later to the spread of communism in the 1950s. Factor in the civil rights movements of minorities and evangelicals are downright apoplectic. Four years ago, this apocalyptic zeal has found a national leader in the most unlikely of men, Donald Trump.
According to evangelicals, the current age will climax with the restoration of Jews to Palestine and the emergence of powerful empires in Rome, Russia, and Asia. Seeking to unite the world’s nations and end chaos and war, a new leader will appear promising peace and security. Unwilling or unable to recognize that he is the prophesied Antichrist, most political and religious leaders worldwide will cede their sovereignty and independence to him through an international agency. Just before the Antichrist is revealed for the threat that he is, all true Christians will vanish from the earth in “the rapture,” joining the resurrected Jesus in heaven. Shortly after that, the imposter will lead the world through seven years of tribulation, at the end of which Jesus and the saints will return to earth and battle the forces of evil at Armageddon (a literal place they believe is in Israel). Christ will defeat the Antichrist and establish a millennial kingdom of peace and prosperity on earth. Such convictions made evangelicals astute students of world events, and it is probably also the reason they are so accepting of Trump’s lies. They are dangerously gullible. They were and are continually lining up global changes with their reading of their apocalyptic prophecy. I remember the syndicated program Jack Van Impe Presentshosted by the late Jack Van Impe and his wife, Rexella. Week after week, Van Impe predicted a date for the end-times becoming more desperate as the day drew near until it eventually passed, after which he chose a new date. His program consisted of a commentary on the news of the week through an interpretation of the Bible. Many evangelicals hung on his and the words of other “prophets.”
Most of these evangelical millennialists do not believe that the U.S. is described in the Bible’s end-times history. They hope through their perseverance that the U.S. might be one of the few faithful nations, an end-times stronghold where true Christianity is practiced, the gospel is preached, and the power of the Antichrist is challenged continuously and subverted until Christ returns to save them. While evangelicals hope for this, they fear that, unless they act decisively, the U.S. might relinquish its independence and align with the Antichrist. They have merged Christian universalism with American nationalism, remaking evangelicalism as a Christian nationalist movement through this belief. This apocalyptic thinking has defined the evangelical movement for the last century and a half. It was central to the ministry of almost every prominent American evangelical megachurch pastor, radio preacher, or television pioneer, from Aimee Semple McPherson to Billy Graham to Jerry Falwell. Evangelist Billy Sunday said, “Christianity and Patriotism are synonymous terms, and hell and traitors are synonymous.”
Evangelicals’ apocalyptic beliefs foster a sense of urgency and certainty and a vision of the world defined in absolute terms. Many evangelicals believe that they are engaged in the ultimate game of good versus evil. They have no time or regard for incremental change or for reasoning with those who disagree with them. They call for drastic and immediate solutions to the problems they see around them. For evangelicals, apocalypticism fills the in blanks, rationalizes their choices, and connects the dots, culminating in their unceasing devotion to Donald Trump, while making their actions more urgent and compromise unlikely.
Evangelicals have eagerly embraced Trump’s conspiratorial lies. They believe that Barack Obama was born in Africa and is a Muslim. They partner with QAnon activists in accusing Democrats and Hollywood stars of secretly committing atrocious immoral acts that include cannibalism and pedophilia. They argue that George Soros is using his vast wealth to build a one-world government. They see lies as truth and truth as lies. In their world, Joe Biden stole the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump. A fake election pushing Trump out of the way means Satan can bring his plans for globalization and world domination, through the Antichrist, to fruition.
The apocalypse that evangelicals have been predicting for generations seems for some to have finally begun. A Biden administration, they are confident, is not only illegitimate but will also align with the forces of evil, from the U.N. to a cabal of international Jews, to persecute all true Christians. This white evangelical segment sees itself as a besieged minority, surrounded on all sides by the forces of darkness, sin, and secularism. This makes them just as dangerous as a wild animal that is cornered and scared. They believe that, in the last days, governments will turn against them, and their religious liberty will be suppressed. From COVID-19 shutdowns to alleged election fraud, their reading of current events tells them that the end times have begun. They believe that the Bible demands that they go to war against the Antichrist and all of his minions. Suppose Joe Biden and the other leaders of the U.S. government—now including even staunch Christian conservatives like Mike Pence—represent the forces of the Antichrist. In that case, the faithful have no choice but to organize against them. They need to stop the Antichrist by any means necessary. God demands no less than insurrection.
Evangelicals do not understand that they are following evil and excusing it by claiming to follow God. They misinterpret the false prophets and teachers described in 2 Peter to mean that those opposed to their beliefs are these false prophets. Second Peter 2:1-3 says,
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
They continually pervert the Bible to be interpreted to fit their apocalyptic and fanatical beliefs. They use to oppress others and impose their brand of government that would allow no dissent to their beliefs.
Matthew 4:1 says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” The devil has tempted evangelicals, but instead of resisting temptation, they have allowed Satan to control them. The Devil thrives on lies, sedition, and hubris. I won’t go so far as to say that Donald Trump is doing the Devil’s bidding, but I will say that Donald Trump is not following the will of God. Evangelicals in America have gotten lost because they chose the temptation of power over the command of brotherhood and faith. Paul’s teaching on the Christian’s relationship to civil government is outlined in Romans 13. Romans 13:1-2 says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
At the heart of Christianity is selflessness and love. The heart of American conservatism is personal freedom and individualism at the expense of oppressing those who do not fall under their white evangelical personification. Sadly, far-right Christians such as Liberty University have chosen the latter while calling it the former. Brad Littlejohn, a fellow at the conservative think-tank the Edmund Burke Foundation, championed selfishness and wrote in 2019 that in an unselfish world, “parents couldn’t really give each of their children a Christmas gift—something perfectly chosen for that child’s interests and developmental needs. As soon as they gave the gift, the child would look for another sibling to give it to. Pretty soon, the children would be passing all of their gifts around in a confusion of constant sharing, rather than going off to their rooms to practice for an hour on their new ukulele. By the next day, they would probably have given all their gifts away to the neighbor kids. Indeed, in this world, parents wouldn’t have given their kids gifts in the first place—come Christmas, they would’ve scanned the world for the neediest person they could find and given everything they could to that person instead. Or rather, they would have long since given away all their earthly possessions in a frenzy of selflessness (even as other equally selfless people tried to load them with new possessions).” This statement, though hyperbolic, is a clear rejection of the selfless teachings of Christ and one that attempt to portray selfishness and greed as a Christian virtue.
For years we have seen people try to convince themselves that America is a “Christian” nation. But when their ideals of America collide with their ideals of Christianity, such as selflessness and charity, evangelicals believe that we must remake Christianity into their perverted capitalist, white supremacist beliefs. Sadly, evangelical conservatives in the Republican Party have chosen their brand of American patriotism over Jesus. They have lost their way, and we must pray that they can find truth and repentance before they destroy us all by continuing to back power-hungry, egomaniacal politicians like Donald Trump. Politicians of this ilk will continue to use apocalyptic fear to have influence over and support from delusional evangelicals. Trump may be losing his grip as many turn against him after he incited a terrorist attack against Congress, but another will replace him. Already, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley are jockeying for that position. We have to be diligent and stop their brand of apocalyptic extremism.
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
— James 5:9
Our lives are hectic, and we are frequently on the go. First, it’s work, then grocery shopping, household chores, taking care of our pets, and making dinner, which is usually followed by more household chores. Once we have finished with all of these essentials, then we sometimes have little time for leisure. Let’s face it; our lives are full of things to do, and that can create serious stress at times. In those times of stress, how do we conduct ourselves? Do we allow these stressful circumstances to dictate our reaction, or do we rise above them? We all have fallen prey to complaining. We complain because we aren’t feeling the way we want or things aren’t going the way we want them to go. God calls on us to rise above our stresses and trials without complaining. It is perfectly normal to feel emotions of discouragement, disappointment, anger, sadness, and loss. Still, even in the emotional chaos, we need to act on truth and not on our feelings. Feelings come and go, but the truth of God’s love and protection will always remain.
First Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” God wants us to be thankful for every single circumstance we face. Always being grateful for all that life throws our way is not always easy. But, with Christ as our foundation, we can overcome the trials and stresses of each day. John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The truth sets us free from the captivity of sin and gives us a new life with Christ. With the truth of God’s Word, we can be proactive instead of reactive. We have the choice to either complain or make the best of things.
God tells us how we can change our hearts and minds to stop complaining. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We have to accept that we are in God’s hands. Some people will tell you that complaining is self-serving and completely the opposite of what we are called to do, but complaining is not always bad. There are times when we must take care of ourselves and stand up for our needs. We cannot always be passive, but we have the choice to turn to God to help us with our troubles. Sometimes, that means it is up to us to take care of our problems through guidance from God.
However, we are not to always look out for only ourselves. We are to show love and serve others, not just ourselves. Yet, we must take care of ourselves so that we are available to help others. If we keep others in mind, then we will not be focusing on our problems. Philippians 4:8 tells us what to do instead of complaining, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” All of these “things” put our focus off of us and onto others. The more we focus on others, the less time we will focus on our problems.
The Bible teaches us that we have one place to go when we have a complaint, concern, or need. Psalm 17:1 says, “Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!” We aren’t told to complain to strangers or tell everyone close to us how bad things are. We are to bring our concerns to God. He is the nourishment for our souls. We are to take our worries to Him and let Him work ways on your behalf. God does not want us to complain. As James says, the Judge is standing at the door, and He is listening to our worries.
” Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
— Joshua 1:9
On the first day of a new year, many of us wish each other a “Happy New Year!” But as we begin a new year, we need more than a hopeful greeting from the people around us. We need to listen to what God told Joshua about 3,400 years ago. As Joshua was about to lead God’s people into the promised land, he had reason to be afraid. He had an enormous task ahead of him, and he was well aware of the dangers that he and the people would soon be facing. He needed God’s encouragement.
A new year brings lots of questions. The foremost on everyone’s mind is: Will this year be better than 2020? Will we emerge as a healthier society and get control over the pandemic? Will we be able to return to “normal” life? Will I find love this year? Many are also wondering if they will be able to hang on to their job or secure a new one? Will the economy improve and get stronger as we get the pandemic under control? Will we be able to heal as a nation?
God tells us not to be afraid of what is to come and tells us not to become discouraged. What happens in 2021 is not left to chance. God is in charge, and he promises to stay close: “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Many years later, the Lord Jesus made the same promise when he said in Matthew 28:20, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” That’s the reason we can wish each other a “Happy New Year!” God will be with us and carry us through these difficult times.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
—2 Corinthians 5:17
As I write this, I am sitting here thinking about how this year has been a tough year for all of us. Millions have lost loved ones. Many have lost their job. Others are worrying about where their next meal will come from. Some have lost all hope. There is no doubt that this has been a year of sorrow for much of the world, but God assures us that better things are to come. In Romans 8:18, Paul says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” In Romans 8, Paul is continuing to develop his theme of Christian assurance, which he started in Romans 5. Paul elaborates on the Christian’s hope of glory, based on the knowledge that God has determined to bring us glory in the next life.
As this year comes to a close and there is hope on the horizon for an end to this pandemic, 2021 will be a time for starting over and a new beginning. The end of this horrible year is a wonderful time to take stock of life and look for ways to improve and grow. In many ways, we have put life on hold for the past nine months, but 2021 holds so much hope and promise for us. The dictator-wannabe in the White House will soon be evicted, and president-elect Joe Biden will usher in an era of hope, healing, and renewal.
This time of year is when we usually make resolutions, but as 2020 ends and 2021 begins, I think we would be better off realizing that there is hope for a better future. Too often, we make careless resolutions that are never kept, and so one year blends into the next with little change. This year, we have seen a great deal of change in our lives. For example, we wear masks when we are out in public to protect others and ourselves from COVID-19. We practice social distancing. I think about how shocking it is to see someone out and about without a mask or how uncomfortable and aggravated I become when someone stands too close to me in line. We still have months to go before we return to any semblance of normal life, but we can look forward to a leader who will call for national unity and ask for all Americans to help each other out by following health guidelines.
While I don’t have any specific resolutions this year except to look hopeful for the future, we all still have areas in our lives that could stand some improvement. As this new year begins, let us look at our lives with honesty, sincerity, and openness. Let us approach change with a positive spirit and work toward finding ways to become the people God wants us to be. Most importantly, ask the Lord for guidance and strength, for it is through His power that we can conquer our failings and turn them into strengths. God can see us both as we are and as we can be, and we need that sight to truly change and better ourselves. He has a great and abiding love for His children. Rejoice in the love of God. He has given us a new year, desires to provide us with a new life, and present us with new hope in the months ahead.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
—Luke 2:10-11
When I think of Christmas, I often think of the joy of the season, my family, and good food and fellowship. Some of the most popular Christmas songs mention joy, such as “Joy to the World” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Others are about home and family, such as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” and “(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays.” However, the Christmas season is only temporary, beginning in late November with Thanksgiving and ending in early January with New Year’s Day or Epiphany.
It is important during this time to keep in mind the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is an emotion that comes and goes, as it is based on our changing circumstances. When life is going our way, it’s easy to feel happy, but when situations don’t go as planned, we often find ourselves unhappy, discouraged, or angry. The year 2020 has largely been an unhappy year because of the pandemic, but this will be temporary. Joy, on the other hand, is a choice. When we choose joy, we can have a joyful heart in even the most challenging of circumstances. We put on a brave face, no matter the circumstances, but that is not always the easiest thing to do. However, when we find our joy in Christ, He will provide us with the strength we need to live joyfully. If we follow Christ’s example, we will find infinite joy in helping others, especially those who need it the most.
So how can we embrace the spirit of joy this Christmas? While material things can bring happiness, they cannot bring us joy. So, while exchanging gifts is a great way to show love, it’s important to remember that gifts alone cannot bring us real joy. So, rather than focusing on the presents underneath the tree, cherish the time spent with your loved ones.
In addition, Christmas is a great time to give back to the community and help those in need. When we serve others and show them love, we reflect Christ. Acts 20:35 says:
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Ultimately, serving others can bring us joy. This holiday season, I encourage all of us to embrace the spirit of joy. Remember that by keeping Christ at the center of all of our celebrations, we can experience real joy and understand the reason for the season.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
—Galatians 6:9
Some of us are people who always put on a brave face, no matter the situation. We don’t want others to know that mentally, we aren’t feeling our best. Similarly, we may be someone who consistently helps others and does everything we can for other people, often forgetting about our own needs. Then, some of the people we help are ungrateful, or they take advantage of us. Any combination of these scenarios can be exhausting and cause us to “grow weary.” It’s similar to when we know we have to plaster a smile on our face, even when we don’t want or feel like doing so, and eventually, our facial muscles begin to hurt and get tired. The same can happen to our minds, bodies, and spirits, especially when we see no reward for our good deeds.
The phrase “grow weary” can mean to “grow tired” or “become discouraged.” When Paul says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good,” he is telling us not to lose our motivation in continuing to do good. We feel as if we have been doing good all our lives. The temptation over time is to get tired and weary of this. Probably the worst enemy of enthusiasm is time. We all have a remarkable and sad capacity for getting tired of too much of a good thing. Almost every one of us can think of something we have been enthusiastic about, but now, our joy and enthusiasm have faded. However, we must keep in mind that the promise of a harvest in due season; of fruitfulness in due time. And the condition is “if we do not give up,” we will reap the reward, not necessarily in this life, but in the next.
The theological debate over whether salvation is by faith or by works has caused Christian denominations to disagree for centuries. Most of Christianity believes that both faith and good works are necessary for salvation. Others, like evangelicals, believe that good works are the consequence of salvation and not its justification. James 2:14-17 is clear about the correlation between faith and good works:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Many Christians forget that if they must do good as well as have faith to reach salvation. In the last four years, we have seen many people profess their Christianity yet support the greed and sinful, selfish, and uncaring ways of Donald Trump. Trumpism actively subverts the Christian idea of doing good to help others. They have refused to wear masks because it takes away their personal freedom and their own choices. They do not care that they should wear masks to protect others, not just themselves. They also fight to take rights away from Americans that they deem unworthy: LGBTQ+, women, immigrants, African Americans, and the list continues. When someone cares about their own greedy ways to the detriment of others’ fundamental rights and freedoms, they have turned their back on God, and they will not reap the rewards of the next life.
This pandemic, the recent election, the uncertainty of what harm Donald Trump and the Republican Party can cause the United States has caused many of us despair. All the other issues with work, school, family, etc., have caused significant amounts of worry about the constant conflict or difficult times of the last nine months. What we must remember is—Do not give up! Why? Because we will reap a harvest. God will come through for us. When? In due season. It may be in this life, or it may be in the next, but our reward is coming. Some labor faithfully with little reward to show for it in this life, but the certainty that our good works and good deeds will be rewarded to us in the eternal life after this one. Our goodness is not for nothing. Despite our difficulties, God is faithful and will give us a harvest of blessing. So, we can’t let life’s problems cause us to give up and put us on the sidelines. Keep hope alive because this, too, shall pass.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
—Galatians 3:28
Frederick Douglass said, “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.” God sent Jesus to this earth to save us from sin. We can do that by following the teachings of Jesus and bring social justice to the world. Justice in the eyes of God is characterized by profound generosity, universal equality, life-changing advocacy, and social responsibility.
The first aspect of justice in the Bible is profound generosity. While capitalism says that your money belongs to you, and socialism says your money belongs to the State, the Bible says that all your money belongs to God, who then entrusts it to you. Paul quotes David in 1 Chronicles 29:14, in which David says to God, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.” In Luke 16:1-16, Jesus relates the Parable of the Unjust Steward. A steward was the manager of an estate under its owner, making him both a master and yet a servant. In the parable, the steward, who is about to be fired, ingratiates himself with his master’s debtors by paying some of their debts. With this parable, Jesus calls on us to be wise stewards of our wealth. So our wealth belongs to us and yet does not belong to us. Ultimately, it belongs to God, and we should be charitable in as much as we can to honor God.
A second element of justice in the Bible is universal equality. Biblical justice requires that every person be treated according to the same standards and with the same respect, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or other perceived social category. Leviticus 19:15 says: “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.” Deuteronomy 16:19 says: “You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.” Jesus shocked the social sensibilities of his day by receiving and treating all classes of people with equal love and respect. The Jews saw Samaritans as racial inferiors, yet twice Jesus places Samaritans on the same spiritual level as the Jews. Jesus touched off a riot when he declared that God loved Gentiles as much as Jews. Jesus reached out to lepers who were social outcasts, touching them and defying the contemporary social prohibitions. Many people forget these lessons from Jesus. He did not see distinctions between people but saw what we all have in common: humanity. I have always believed that at the core of our humanity is universal love, but some forget this.
A third component of justice in the Bible is significant, life-changing advocacy for the less fortunate and the oppressed. Psalm 41:1 says, “Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him.” The word translated “considers” means believers are to pay close attention to the weak and the poor, seeking to understand the causes of their condition and to spend significant time and energy helping to change their life situation. Proverbs 29:7 tells us, “A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.” While we are to treat all equally and not show partiality to any, we should have a special concern for the poor, the weak, and the powerless. Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
A fourth measure of justice in the Bible is social responsibility. We have a Christian duty to serve each other. First Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” Service is the embodiment of Christian love toward others. We also have a Christian duty to encourage one another. First Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” It is easy in this world to become discouraged because of work, relationships, and finances, but we can encourage people to rise up and overcome any obstacle they may encounter if they believe in themselves. Therefore, our Christian duty is to help them believe, overcome, and stay faithful in a discouraging world.
Furthermore, we have a Christian duty to help carry burdens for others. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Nobody should have to walk alone and carry all of their burdens alone. We need to help others and share in and lighten the heavy load many carry on their shoulders. Lastly, we have a Christian duty to pray for each other. James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” The heavy loads we carry just don’t stay in the natural world, but also belong in the spiritual. We must pray for each other. Sometimes when we are tired and burdened, we just don’t feel like praying. Therefore, we as Christians must pray on behalf of others.
One of the many reasons for the decline in church attendance and religion in the United States is that increasingly Christians are seen as highly partisan foot-soldiers for political movements and misplaced piety. We have seen this in the cult-like support of Trumpism by evangelicals. Partisanship in religion causes both divisiveness within the church and loss of credibility in the world at large. Many Christians publicly disown and attack other believers who believe in Christ’s social justice because they vote for the “wrong” candidates or love the “wrong” person. They seem to feel a more common bond with people of the same politics than of the same faith. When the church as a whole is no longer seen as speaking to questions that transcend politics, and when it is no longer united by a common faith that transcends politics, then the world sees strong evidence that Nietzsche, Freud, and Marx were right, that religion is just a cover for people wanting to get their way in the world. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, Paul insists that Christians must not let legal or political differences supersede their oneness in Christ. We are all one in the eyes of God, and we should recognize that fact.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
— Revelation 21:4
Today marks five years since I lost a very dear friend in an automobile accident. He died the night before my birthday, and I received the news of his death on the night of my birthday. I was utterly devastated, and it took me a long time to recover from that devastation. He such a beautiful young man and had so much to live for after a hard beginning to life. His boyfriend was planning to propose on Christmas morning, and he was about to go back to graduate school. So much hope and promise were lost when he died. So, I tend to always get a little down especially this time of year. Birthdays should be joyous times, but there hasn’t been much joy in them in the last five years. There have been two exceptions to that rule. For my fortieth birthday, one of my coworkers took me for a weekend trip to Montreal, and we had a great time. Last year, I spent Thanksgiving and my birthday with Susan in Manhattan. She took me to see Chicago on Broadway, and we went to see the Stonewall Inn and the Freedom Tower. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal at Il Mulino on 20th Street in Manhattan and ate at the Italian restaurant Coppola’s for my birthday. It was such a wonderful and memorable trip. It had been the first time that I had not been consumed by sadness on my birthday in the years since my friend’s death. Yet, even with those happier times in Montreal and Manhattan, the loss of my friend is still ever-present in my mind, especially this time of year. This year, I am alone and missing him, and his friendship weighs heavily on my mind.
The friendship I speak of was not an ordinary friendship for me. It wasn’t romantic, as he had a very loving boyfriend, but it was a strong bond, a brotherly bond. I could confide in him anything. I don’t think another person on this earth has known me more completely than he did. I have a few wonderful friends that are still around, one in Texas and one in New York, but I guess I hold back on telling them everything for fear of opening my heart that way again to someone I might lose. The only other person I ever loved so deeply and felt so overwhelmed by sadness by losing was my Grandmama. She loved me unconditionally, but I suspect, had she known I was gay, there would have been conditions to her love. There were no such conditions with my friend, and I could be completely open and honest with him. His understanding gave me a self-confidence in myself that I’d never before felt. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God told Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” God was referring to David replacing Saul as King of Israel, but in a similar way, my friend saw not what my family and those around me saw, but he saw me differently. He saw me as I was with all my flaws and faults, yet he still loved me. I never had someone who understood me the way he did, especially one who loved me without conditions. Luke 12:2 says, “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” That is what our friendship was like. I revealed myself completely to him, and that was the first time I had ever done that so completely. I had come out to people, and I occasionally told people my insecurities, but I had never allowed someone to see the real me because of the fear of rejection.
My friend had suffered a troubled life, especially with his family, who rejected him for being gay. They didn’t even want to claim his body when he died, yet they did so to keep his friends from having any real closure with his death. They were mean-spirited and cruel, and it is that kind of hatred that many of us fear. I fear it from my own family. The difference is that my family did not entirely reject me, and they did not nearly beat me to death as his family had done to him. We both had faced a similar rejection, and we held on to each other for comfort. When that was all taken from me because of an automobile accident on an icy road late one night, I did not know how I could continue to live. I wanted to die with him. I had recently moved to Vermont, where I knew no one. I had very few people I could turn to for comfort; Susan was one of the few, and our friendship has grown tremendously since then. But, I’ll be honest, I did not want to go on living. I fell into the deepest depression of my life, and it took years for me to emerge from that depression. If it had not been for Susan, I’d doubt I’d have made it through that period of depression alive, and I will always be thankful to Susan for being there for me when I needed someone the most. As you might be able to tell from this post, I have not fully emerged from that depression. It still haunts me on days like today. I get stronger every year, but it still hurts. I try to remember the good times that we had in our friendship and not dwell on the loss, but on days like today, that is very hard.
Life brings so much tribulation and trouble, but it also brings many blessings and comfort as well. Pain and sorrow are sadly inevitable in this life, and when they happen, it can be the only thing that dominates our thoughts. However, Christians can look beyond suffering and sorrow to the day we rise into Heaven, when “that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” (2 Corinthians 5:4). As the above verse from Revelation says, tears, death, mourning, crying, and pain will be noticeably absent from Heaven. Pain, sorrow, mourning, the passing of friends and loved ones, and dying are all harsh realities of this life, but they will be over once and for all when we reach Heaven. The song “When We All Get to Heaven” has the following refrain:
When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory!
Revelation 20 tells us that all wrongs will be made right on the Day of Judgment, all sin will be separated, and suffering of all kinds will be gone. It will be the day when good is victorious over evil. We may not understand why we have to endure some of the things in life that cause such heartache and pain, but let us never forget that the promise of eternal life is greater than our limited view. While I don’t want to die anytime soon, I do look forward to the day when I can again see my loved ones who have passed away. I want to see my friend and my beloved Grandmama. While I may be sad this time of year, I just remember that Jesus is there to help us when we are troubled. Whether it is today or tomorrow, He will wipe away the tears from all of our eyes.
The reunion of loved ones who have passed away always reminds me of the following song and offers comfort:
In the Morning of Joy Words: Adalyn Evilsizer (1895) Music: Anthony J. Showalter
When the trumpet shall sound, And the dead shall arise, And the splendors immortal Shall envelop the skies; When the Angel of Death Shall no longer destroy, And the dead shall awaken In the morning of joy:
In the morning of joy, In the morning of joy, We’ll be gathered to glory, In the morning of joy; In the morning of joy, In the morning of joy, We’ll be gathered to glory, In the morning of joy.
When the King shall appear In His beauty on high, And shall summon His children To the courts of the sky; Shall the cause of the Lord Have been all your employ, That your soul may be spotless In the morning of joy?
In the morning of joy, In the morning of joy, We’ll be gathered to glory, In the morning of joy; In the morning of joy, In the morning of joy, We’ll be gathered to glory, In the morning of joy.
O the bliss of that morn, When our loved ones we meet! With the songs of the ransomed We each other shall greet, Singing praise to the Lamb, Thro’ eternity’s years, With the past all forgotten With its sorrows and tears.
In the morning of joy, In the morning of joy, We’ll be gathered to glory, In the morning of joy; In the morning of joy, In the morning of joy, We’ll be gathered to glory, In the morning of joy.
Joe
The Closet Professor 