My Apologies, Friends

I received an e-mail from a friend the other day.

A friend who has often encouraged me to keep writing and striving to show grace… to point people to the Gospel and to God’s Word. Whether I agree with them or not… whether they’re “conservative” or “liberal”, red or blue, right wing or left wing.

When the SOTU address came flashing across everyone’s screens last week, I saw a chance to dip my toe into politics as I enjoy doing now and then. I felt our president lied many times and I was frustrated and sickened by it. Our country seems to be falling farther down a dark hole with each passing day and it’s frightening at times.

So, you see, I figured that the most helpful thing I could possibly do was take a moment, gather up all my expertise in sarcasm and satire, and give you all an entertaining run down of what you might have missed or maybe noticed just like I did.

And let me tell ya, I was feeling pretty proud of my quips and witticism.

Until I received that e-mail two days later…

If I’m honest, I’d not been feeling completely confident in the tone of my SOTU blog, but there was enough truth in what I said, and I knew enough people would agree that I’d brushed off any apprehension.

Wellllll….. this e-mail gave me no choice but to look into a mirror and see my witty, sarcastic self staring right back at me.

My friend spoke words of encouragement and love even in the midst of the rebuke.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. Proverbs 27:6

She expressed how greatly concerned she was for my motives and the state of my heart in speaking of our current president, even if I was right to disagree with him. She was concerned that I seemed to be venting anger and frustration rather than praying for our president and encouraging others to do the same.

Those were not words I wanted to hear. But I know that one should never take a rebuke lightly…

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. -Proverbs 12:1

As I looked over the article I’d written, I saw quickly that, though my friend’s words were words I didn’t want to hear, they were words I needed to hear… and sadly, could not deny. Though I’d spoken quite a few true things, the fact that I’d wrapped it up into a catchy package of sarcasm drowned out any sincere concern.

And so I decided to remove the post from social media as well as my blog page. I wanted to remove any more possibility of someone being misled to believe that my attitude and quips were a Godly way to handle the days we’re living in.

But That’s Not Enough…

I honestly feel pretty awkward about posting this but…

“I’ve always heard that when you show contempt toward someone, your apology needs to be as loud as your disrespect.”

There were many ways I could have approached my concerns for our president and political climate and still remained respectful of the authority that God has allowed over our country. I find a much better description of how I ought to have handled my concern in 1 Peter 3:13-17:

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

And so, dear friends, I fear my previous post failed to hold to the Word of God in the ways that mattered.

I was trying to speak truth… but I believe there were many moments where I misstepped by:

Choosing Fear Of Man Over Trust In God

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled…

Our world seems to have flipped upside down in the past two years and more than ever since our president came into office 13 months ago. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the moral failure of our government, the intrigue, the loss of freedoms, the rising prices at the grocery store and the gas pump, and the uncertainty of tomorrow. It’s hard not to be afraid. It’s hard not feel as though our future rests in the hands of inadequate men.

I need to apologize for falling into that fear and perhaps taking you with me. My sarcasm and frustration didn’t speak of trust in a sovereign God, but of anxiety over the days we’re living in.

But you see, for those who are in Christ, our future and safety do not lie in the hands of men… but in God our Creator. We have no need to be troubled. We have no need to be afraid.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33

Choosing Frustration Over Hope

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;”

For anyone who thinks I’m advocating for sitting back in silence while the world falls to pieces, I’m most certainly not. We are to speak truth. We are to obey God rather than man. We are to stand for justice and righteousness.

But I think where I misstepped and perhaps many of us do, is that we often use this verse as an excuse to speak up and defend our frustrations and bitterness… when this passage is actually calling us to quite the opposite… giving a defense for the HOPE that is in us.

As Christians, we have HOPE that can’t be destroyed. We serve the true and sovereign King over all. We have freedom that can’t be taken, power of the Spirit that can’t be overcome, redemption that is sure, and a future that is certain. People should be wondering how we have such hope and joy and peace in the midst of chaos. And that certainly wasn’t my heart when I sat down to write last week.

I jumped to scripture at the end, but truthfully, I was feeling much more frustration than hope and wasn’t truly trying to offer truth or encouragement… I was venting my irritation and bitterness.

Choosing Sarcasm Over Gentleness And Respect

“…yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience,

In days like these we like to talk about being “ready to give a reason” but we often skip the last part… the “how to”.

For anyone who thinks that perhaps our president deserved my sarcastic comments or that we don’t have to respect him because he doesn’t respect us… let’s look at Paul’s example when he was brought before Ananias, the High Priest:

And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.  Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?” Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?” And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

Scripture speaks again and again of “honoring the emperor”. We don’t have to agree with our authority. We don’t have to be silent. We don’t have to stand by complacently. In fact, we SHOULDN’T do any of those things. But God’s Word never leaves room for disrespect of those He has allowed a place of authority. I cannot find any excuse for it.

Not to mention… Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi and every other government official that I’m tempted to despise are made in the image of God. They don’t deserve God’s wrath more than I do or his grace less than I do. We’ve all fallen and deserve God’s justice and His grace is an unmerited gift that no one could ever earn.

Speaking disrespectfully and disdainfully of others is usually a warning sign of self-righteousness and a lack of the love Christ calls us to have toward our fellow man, whether friend or enemy.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, -Matthew 5:43-44

Choosing Emotions Over A Clear Conscience

“…so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.“

Last week, I pointed to multiple scriptures in my criticism, but I fear my attitude betrayed my intentions. If I am going to point to Christ, I want to do so with a heart that is honoring and pleasing to Him. If people will hate me or the things I stand for, I want to know that I am solidly grounded on the Word of God with a clear conscience. But I can’t say that last weeks diatribe would pass that test.

I need to be going to the Word and Christ’s example for what my thoughts and political/social stances ought to be, rather than taking a stance I’m most comfortable in and then using Scripture to back me up as an after thought.

In Closing

And so, friends, I ask your forgiveness.

If I could go back and do it over… I wouldn’t refrain from speaking on the topic. I honestly think many of my concerns had merit… but as we all know, it’s not always WHAT we say, but HOW we say it.

I simply wish I’d spoken truth with more love, rebuke with more respect, concern with more care, and hope in Christ over all.

I need to remind myself again of the conversation I had with my five year old back in 2020 when Joe Biden was first running for office:

My 5-Year-Old’s Thoughts On Joe Biden (A True Story)

I need to remember to give my anxieties and worries and exhaustion and bitterness and despair to the One who cares for me and can free me from them and carry me through them… rather than spewing them on any and every unfortunate soul who comes across my blog.

Prayer is much more powerful than venting sessions.

In a world that needs grace to conquer sin, redemption to wipe away shame, hope to break through the hopelessness, freedom to break the chains of captive souls, truth to overcome the lies, kindness to combat cruelty and a steadfast love to conquer hate… I need to spend my time here, not adding to the clamor, but pointing the world to Christ… over and over and over again.

I love you all.