I’ve heard countless times that we, that is, Christians, need to stand for truth. I agree. Or at least I think I do. But we need to step back and think just a bit about what we mean by “standing for truth!” Unfortunately, I think many times our idea of “taking a stand” turns out to be not very Christian. We come across to others as a bull in a china closet. In other words, we make a mess of everything!
Part of our problem, and I include myself in this, is that we think we always have to speak up! Now I understand that perhaps there are times something must be said. But not always. In fact, I dare write that the majority of the time we just need to lean forward and listen. We must seek to understand less we hurl answers to questions no one is asking.
But isn’t the answer always Jesus? Well…yes…perhaps…but let’s be careful here. Our sharing Jesus without any demonstration of compassion and empathy might just undo anything we say about him. I watched a man the other day talking to a group of college students about how all people are created with dignity and honor while in the next breath belittling those around him who didn’t hold to his Christian views. This gentlemen’s intent, or at least I will give him the benefit of the doubt, was to guide students to say “yes” to Jesus. But I feel his stand for the truth was anything but Christian.
Consider what Peter writes to some churches in Asia Minor. He is encouraging them when faced with persecution to be ready to speak out. Specifically, he writes to “give an answer,” or to give an “apology” for why they believe what they do (1 Peter 3:15). This is where we get our word “apologetics” which we understand today to be the defense of our faith.
However, this defense of the faith according to Peter must be done with “respectful humility” (1 Peter 3:16). I take this to mean that the dignity of another must never be degraded. We must never “one up” someone nor insult them for the ideas they hold. In fact, we would do well to learn from them. Again, this means we must shut our mouths and seek to understand. Is it possible to listen someone into the Kingdom?
We must seek to rid ourselves of the attitude that says, “Well, at least they heard the truth!” Such a viewpoint only puffs up our egos as we convince ourselves that we are doing some good. But good is rarely done. It’s never a “whatever it takes” mentality. The end does not justify the means here. And if the truth be told, those caught in the verbal grips of someone who just wants to spew words never seem to really grasp what’s being said.
I think we need to take words of Madeleine L’Engle to heart as she writes: “We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.” To me, this is the way to take a stand for the truth! And for the sake of the gospel, we need to start today.
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