Cancel Culture- Why I’m not Worried, by David Roberts
”Nothing New Under the Sun”
Whatever we give the most attention, we will see more of it. If we are looking for something, that’s what we will find. If we are looking for rule breakers, they are all around us and you’ll never find the end of that list, so recognize people are looking for love, but they are looking in all the wrong places.
Nowhere in nature do we find anything fully mature at birth, yet everywhere in nature, things are always completely what they are, even at birth. As an example, we wouldn’t find mature oaks when they’re first sprouted. “Sprouts” may be whole, 100% oak, but not mature. No one would negatively judge a one year old oak for not being 50 years old, so why can’t we accept people where they are? It’s probably because we don’t really know how to help them grow, so we point out faults, as if that’s gonna be productive.
We like to ask the question, “what would our world look like if -this- were changed…” but the better question might be “what would our world look like if -I- were changed?”
Immature (juvenile) thinking notices circumstances, yet expects everyone else to respond exactly as they do. In the absence of a mature sons of God, men will always build systems to modify behavior, even to the point of eliminating all who hold differing views.
The cycle was broken even before it started!
The town of Bethsaida is mentioned several times in the New Testament, including the native place of Peter, Andrew and Phillip. It was most likely like many of our towns, filled with people wanting things to get better, yet few willing to accept lasting, personal change. Jesus restores a blind man’s sight from this town (Mark 8:22-26) after spitting in his eyes and touching him a second time. The first time touched he was asked, “What do you see?” and he said he saw men as trees. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, prior to restoring the blind man’s sight, Jesus led him by hand, out of town. Afterward, he tells him not to go back or tell anyone from there what happened. If everyone at Bethsaida were willing to be led as blind men, maybe he could’ve returned there, telling what happened.
The man saw men as trees upon the first touch. We would all have compassion on pine trees, if we were a pine tree but what about all the other trees? We’ve all heard it said that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it’s a duck but that’s flawed thinking, judging based on observation. This wisdom leads us down one of two roads:
- striving to make everyone walk and talk like us (whether they’re like us or not), or
- striving to make ourself walk and talk like everyone else (whether we’re like them or not).
The truth is, we are all alike… in the same boat, if you will. Our being first fruits should tell us it’s intended there be more fruits.
Unfortunately, the wisdom of comparing people is the resulting condemnation. Seeing ourselves and/or others as inadequate is the opposite of what God wants you to know about yourself; you are the perfect you already!
If we took a casual stroll in many of our back yards, we’d immediately notice young trees growing in the shadows of larger ones… all weren’t pine, oak or another variety and many of them would have these smaller trees growing in their shadows. Even with all the advanced understanding to grow trees faster, we would never expect to build a home using lumber milled from one year old pine. The strongest lumber is milled from mature trees, so these are the ones sacrificed. By thinning the forrest of mature trees, the Sun and wind will then be able to reach the up and coming next generation of trees. When the younger generations compete for light, they race upward before their time, causing them to have more shallow root systems had they been exposed to the rain/storms and didn’t have to stretch for light. Racing upwards may result in fewer knots but you’ll be harvested before you’re ready, to build something you weren’t intended to give your life.
In the natural, we see why God lowers himself to become a man, instead of showing us a ladder we’re to climb, to get to Him. Instead of manifesting His heart we far too often witness celebrity ministry, where the leaders are worshipped instead of honored. If these so called leaders were helpful, they’d give what they’ve been given so the younger wouldn’t stand in the shadows, competing for light. I suppose this is why Paul advises that before we ever lay hands ordaining anyone an elder, we examine their homes, where we’d find one of these three scenarios:
- lording over their spouses,
- worshiping their spouses, or
- loving Christlike their spouses.
If they were loving Christlike their spouses we’d see the results in their spouse and family, even though some of their family may not honor them. After all, a prophet is without honor in his home town. We all understand people will judge you based on what happened when you were seven and find it difficult to see new life they should eat, coming from you.
Mature thinking accepts juveniles will act accordingly, for their season, which won’t end simply because they have a birthday or forcefully decide (born out of some already known given). It happens when they become aware, usually out of great loss.
Loss can be effective, having a powerful affect on us. We handle loss by grieving, which creates space for new ideas and possibilities. Greater still, it opens pathways previously unseen, possibly illuminating the “pot of gold” was already present. In these times, the things and people we’ve lost don’t become insignificant because we don’t simply exchange them. We come to appreciate these experiences were vehicles, taking us where we are, which is the end of mourning and where you’ll witness joy. No one experiences joy while wishing they were living historically, in their past.
Can you imagine Jesus being offensive to people?
Of course, we couldn’t imagine being intentionally offensive but the freedom to walk in liberty is quite offensive to flesh. We shouldn’t feel like we’re constantly walking on eggshells, so our liberty what will offend. Besides, who ever learned anything without first coming to the end of themselves.
I’m not sure about you, but my moral upbringing finds it difficult seeing Jesus as anything but polite. We may walk in a room and wonder why someone doesn’t remove their hat, or why they wear their pants so far down. Noticing these things far too often becomes our talking points rather than what binds us together.
Do we wish for ourselves and one another, smooth days, without trouble? If you have your eyes opened I want you to have opportunities to teach, which presents as trouble. How is someone supposed to teach the things that really matter, without trouble? How can a person who is struggling, know who and what you know, unless you have an encounter with them? They’re not gonna buy your books but they will read you, if you’ll be transparent. I don’t wish for you a smooth ride or that your organization will be filled with people and money necessarily. My hope for you and the church is we will all be prepared for ministry, to be placed in situations we can teach, the things that really matter, to the ones in our unique paths.
We’ve read the same scriptures the masses have read, where Jesus and teaching those who follow Him must eat of his body and drink of His blood. After sharing the flesh profit nothing and His words were spirit and are life, many of His disciples who followed went away, to no longer follow Him. He asked the disciples would they leave and Peter’s reply is quite telling,
“Master, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” John 6:68
At my dads funeral last year I shared our beautiful love story of how we came to recognize and embrace one another with Christlike love. Truth is, my dad loved me all along but his presentation looked odd to me, so I was quite rebellious through my younger years. My understanding of what he was saying, was that I was worthless. His choice of words later changed, as he realized… well, let’s just call it what it is; he grew, and I grew. We both misunderstood until we didn’t. We both grew but I received not only what he said, but what he intended. If you can hear one another’s intention, among the cacophony of noise, you can successfully build a bridge.
We will never grow in love as respecters of persons. Respect the Source which binds us together. If not already known, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you discover you’ve always been one with the Source, but what’s not so pleasant is to come to accept and understand, so are “they”.
While listening to others, examine where they are coming from, so we can understand what they are saying. The end of respect for persons doesn’t mean we stop loving them. It just means we have compassion and show it. Having compassion means we will come to understand our eyes (five senses) are often overrated, obstacles and crutches we’ve learned to lean upon.
One of the most preached passages in the Bible is Jesus asking Peter who he is, followed by instruction to feed His sheep but rarely mentioned is the very next verse. It’s chopped off, like it’s part of another story. If your boss told you to do something, wouldn’t you listen to see how they wanted it done? Listen closely as Jesus tells Peter “HOW” to feed His sheep:
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and arms, and someone else will dress you, and carry you where you do not wish to go.” John 21:18 AMP
Powerful things happen inside us, when we stretch out our arm and hand, to be led, as if we don’t know what tomorrow holds. When the blind man from Bethsaida’s eyes were restored he was led by the hand of Jesus… somewhere along our road we maybe tempted to pull over, at a rest stop, to build our home. We are essentially saying, “thanks but we got it from here”. In these times, we’ve gotten off the wheel so maybe we should stop trying to reinvent it. Repentance is simple if we’d recognize that was our confession, that it is simply our knowledge puffing up; we know what we know and don’t have the need to learn more.
If we judge people by their cover, wanting change while refusing to grow, we are puffing up on the knowledge we have. Sadly, despite all our finger-pointing, we are also card carrying members of that cancel culture. Don’t we know it was cancel culture that God allowed to crucify Jesus? It was also cancel culture when Cain killed Abel and when Adam blames Eve while in the garden.
As sons of God, His Word in us is becoming flesh, no different than with Jesus. At first, we refer to His Word as being “in us” but later they should know Him, “as us”. Just like an oak you’re 100% His Word, whether you’re a child, a young man or a father. You may or may not “perform” perfectly, from the way you see it, but as children of God, we are created in His image, with His DNA. As we mature, we grow to become bridge builders, reconcilers, hearing past the words and actions of others, to hear their heart, their intentions.
We know God’s Word is sharper than any two edged sword, so as we mature, we are offended less, able to separate words chosen from intentions. We grow to understand behavior is a language, where people are speaking out of frustration things they’ve yet to find words for. Sons of God build connections, going where they are, even when we they’re rooting for a team. Love is measured in how well you receive others. Perfect Love looks like Jesus, who lowers himself to be one of us, because that’s how God rolls.
“All things are wearisome and all words are frail; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing. That which has been is that which will be [again], And that which has been done is that which will be done again. So there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:8,9
We started this journey above by saying, “Whatever we give the most attention, we will see more of it. If we are looking for something, that’s what we will find. If we are looking for rule breakers, they are all around us and you’ll never find the end of that list, so recognize people are looking for love, but they are looking in all the wrong places.”
What I want you to understand is this: they are looking for love in all the wrong places, just like we did (and do sometimes). Most importantly, they are looking for… YOU! The whole earth is groaning to see the manifestation of the children of God… YOU!
“We sense the global agony and pain recorded in history until this very moment. We ourselves feel the grief echo of their groaning within us while we are ready to embrace the original blueprint also of our physical stature to the full consequence of sonship. What we already now participate in as first fruits of the spirit, will bloom into a full gathering of the harvest.” Romans 8:22,23 Mirror
“This” is the Day the Lord made. Rejoice, be glad in it!
David Roberts is set to serve by helping others enter and occupy the rest he’s been given. He’s honored to oversee all things media and technology for Dr. Mark Hanby and is also Executive Director of Restoration House Ministries. Located in northeastern Alabama, he and his wife Candace reside and own Sparkleberry Farm. Candace is overseer of a thriving oncology/hematology clinic. They are spiritual son and daughter of Dr. Mark Hanby.
The best ways to contact David or Candace is through their contact form located on their website (Restoration House Ministries).
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