There is a difference between sticking up for the weak and defenseless. And taking up an inappropriate offense with or from someone else.
Everything I’m about to write applies to Christians.
In today’s political environment it is hard to know the motives of the enraged.
It is wise to break things down and look to Christ for guidance about how to live and to react and to think. Let Jesus have the final say and not our unstable emotions.
To ignore him is to be utterly lost, nothing is really right, and nothing is really wrong.
There are several ways of thinking that Jesus did, and still does teach his followers to adopt.
Way 1: think that my own sin is the worst of all, I deserve judgement, I deserve difficulty and hardship, I don’t deserve ease and a high place of privilege. When I am disrespected, or treated harshly or judged or insulted I am getting precisely and exactly what I deserve. We are not to allow Gods mercy and grace and favor, and easy life-situations turn us into privileged, self-centered children in our thinking.
Way 2: when I see others acting with and taking the privilege of personal anger and revenge toward people. I am not to take up their offense. That is a root of bitterness. It burrows into your psyche and destroys your mental health.
That particular anger is violent. It’s true that there are times when “silence is violence”, but not always, often silence is wisdom. When extreme injustices are happening to people who are unable to defend themselves (think Nazis murdering Jews, think babies being murdered, think women being raped) cowardly silence is part of the violence. But silently disagreeing with certain philosophies is not violence.
Jumping in on someone else’s offense is a mistake. Joining my brother or sister in rage does spiritual harm to them. It is itself a form of violence toward them. It’s a portrayal a display of what you think you should be, and it’s a display for self serving reasons. Will you turn on him or her or will they turn on you when you disagree about something else? Yes probably, because deep rooted bitterness and angry revenge aimed at individuals or people groups is violence that always spreads.
Joining in on revenge on society is sinful. Jesus-followers follow Jesus, they take on his reaction to life and to others. They take on his attitude toward sin. They let bitterness and revenge die and let the life and love of Jesus move and dominate them.
Taking away someone’s right to be alive or own property or have personal space is not a solution to any form of sin.
Way 3: We are able to extend mercy and forgiveness toward others because we have received God’s mercy and forgiveness personally. This is the foundation of a civilized society. Not government, that is secondary! Not a constitution, and not our particular hero winning the Whitehouse. If we begin to think that certain sins require bitterness and revenge and violent anger then we are altogether undone.
For Example: if my Christian friend from another race experiences violence because of his race. If he gets beat up, wallet stolen, and verbally disrespected. And I come upon the scene, wrestle down the attacker, call the police, hold him until the police come, return the wallet. I have defended the oppressed. I’ve done the work of the Lord in that situation. If I were to watch that situation and do nothing, that cowardly silence would be a form of violence.
But if 1 year later my friend remains deeply bitter toward his attacker, if he teaches his kids to go after revenge. If he obsesses over getting insulted, and quickly gets violent at a hint of things that remind him. If he forever displays sensitivity against this man and his family. If he is angered by suggestion of forgiveness and grace. If he demands money from him and his children through lawsuits. Then a root of bitterness is defiling him and his children. Forgiveness is the final word for this Christian, because he himself is also a sinner and has received great forgiveness in Christ himself.
Me taking up his offense and his bitterness would be inappropriate and even sinful. It would defile both me and him. Jesus followers follow Jesus they don’t follow the temptation to sin. They don’t feel justified with offense and revenge and bitterness.
If a Christian really wants to “make the world a better place” they are to follow Jesus Christ in preaching Jesus Christ. Not follow satan to spread bitterness and unforgiveness. Let the lost Satan followers do what their father demands, but let the Christian spread forgiveness and life.
