I recently had the opportunity to interact with a senior executive from a major US corporation. The man was a former military officer and has publicly testified to his faith.
My conversation focused on his recent corporate statement fully endorsing the LGBTQ+ agenda. In a statement celebrating what is ironically called “Pride Month,” this man offered glowing affirmation for “gender fluidity.” Dad to dad, I asked him if he actually believed in what he wrote and if it would apply to his own children.
His response was telling.
He said his personal beliefs are different, but that he must sound a different note in his corporate position. His gushing enthusiasm for the entire spectrum of LGBTQ+ ideology was simply “expected.”
I was immediately reminded of my experience flying into Jordan in 2003. As the mission commander, I had to interact with several Jordanian officers. One-one they were personable and candid, but when gathered together they engaged in obvious “group speak.”
One officer would initiate a conversation and opine that Israel was to blame for 9/11 and the ensuing war. Immediately, the other officers would chime in—each endeavoring to outdo the other. It became obvious that each officer was merely posturing, lest he be deemed insufficiently loyal to the perceived collective mindset.
Bow Down or Else!
These two episodes reflect our human desire to fit in. None of us wants to stand out as the sore thumb in any group. Teenagers supposedly succumb to peer pressure the most, but in my experience, many adults also find it very difficult to stick out as different. They may talk big, but their hearts melt away and they act like cowardly lions.
The repercussions may not involve the threat of a fiery furnace, but many Christians have lost opportunities, jobs, income, friends and family, and even their lives for their determination to live out their Christian testimony. And in our own nation, the pressure to conform is growing greater by the day.
Some Evangelical Christians wonder why I, and others, often reference Pope Francis’ infamous wavering on Catholic doctrines. Plainly stated, the Catholic Church claims many doctrines that are antithetical to Scripture, but it has been clear in its support for life, marriage, and natural order defined in the Bible. With Francis equivocating on those foundational beliefs, Evangelical Christians will soon find themselves further isolated as we stand firm on the Word of God.
A Country Such as This
A new movie by director Brett Varvel (son of the editorial cartoonist Gary Varvel, whose work often appears in LampLighter magazine) portrays an America where churches have been driven underground and the Bible is officially banned. Some would assert that this dystopian view of the future is too far-fetched to be believable. But Houston’s mayor already tried to pre-approve pastor’s sermons and other Western nations have tried to label the Bible as hate speech. Does anyone really doubt that if America elected a far-Left President and majority in Congress that they would not seek to undermine religious liberty in the United States? They have already expressed their disgust for Christian “troublers” who
are standing in the way of their progressive ideology.
As I see it, there are three insidious inclinations we need to guard against:
ONE — Like a frog in the pot, the rising threat comes incrementally, lulling us into complacency. If the threat arose suddenly, our “red line” might be crossed in a dramatic fashion. But when it creeps in over a long period of time, we either don’t establish a red line—or we allow it to gradually shift and erode.
I suspect that even those who were dozing off through the 90s and early 2000s have awakened to the rising threat in and to our nation. But there are some who are still asleep, to whom Jesus would say, “Wake up! And strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die” (Revelation 3:2).
On that note, can you imagine what this country will be like in 20 years if it continues its present trajectory? What kind of world will your children or grandchildren live in? If that thought troubles you, then my question is this: when is the right time to engage and work to change that trajectory? The obvious answer is: now, not twenty years from now and not even tomorrow. Right now.
TWO — We recognize the threat but want to bide our time—rationalizing that we need to save our effort for the “really big battles.” When I was in the Kentucky legislature, one of our minority leaders was always encouraging us to “keep our powder dry.” He did not want us to waste our energy on battles that he thought were doomed to fail—or he hoped that we would find a more strategic opportunity to engage.
But I frequently urged greater engagement, because we will always lose the battles we don’t fight. Paul’s testimony to Timothy was, “I have fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7a). A form of the word “fight” appears twice in that sixword statement. Christians need to realize that we are in a fight—a spiritual battle where the stakes are greater than we realize. We need to learn from Paul and fight, so that when we are called Home we can also say, “I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7b).
THREE — Finally, we can misdirect our loyalty in such a manner that our boldness is blunted. In an Army magazine article entitled, “Is Loyalty Overvalued?”, Lt. Col. Pete Kilner (US Army, Ret.) observed that “leaders and organizations that demand loyalty typically aren’t worthy of it. Loyalty, it turns out, is typically the highest value in organizations that lack virtue.”
Our culture often demands loyalty that is not earned. For instance, I can sing along with Lee Greenwood, “I’m proud to be an American!” But much of what our government tolerates and promotes is abhorrent to me as a Christian. I’ve said it before: whereas pop culture once revered “Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” I doubt a majority of Americans could even agree on those terms anymore. And our present national leaders seem determined to undermine all three according to the definitions that align with a biblical worldview.
Hold! Hold!
In the movie, Braveheart, Mel Gibson depicts a battle where William Wallace encourages his men to “Hold! Hold!” As the enemy calvary charges toward their line, most of his men grow increasingly nervous. Wallace knows that they can win the day—if they hold their line and follow his instructions. But if they turn and run, they will be cut down and defeated absolutely.
In that scene, the line does hold and Wallace’s forces prevail. Your next opportunity to “Hold, hold!” may very well come today, and tomorrow, and the day after that. It will come this November 7th, when Christians need to vote in accordance with a Christian worldview. It will also come as you interact with your own children and grandchildren—raising them in the fear and admonition of the Lord and readying them for the battles they must fight if Jesus tarries.
Our Commander has given us certain orders and assured us of victory. He has commanded us to stand firm and hold until He comes. He alone is worthy of our loyalty—not because He demands it, but because He has earned it, because He is worthy, and because He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
