He’s worked for the company for years. And he loves his job. Oh sure. There are aggravations he deals with on a regular basis. But overall, he’s been very satisfied with the work that is set before him. The company was founded by a solid Bible-believing person, who has since left to join another firm. And those who are now in charge don’t have the same biblically sound principles that the former leader had. So changes have taken place over the years. And some are good changes, but others are not.
The company has a diverse range of employees. Americans. Internationals. Different languages. Different walks of faith. Young people starting their careers. Older ones heading toward retired. And many in between. Yes. It is culturally diverse.
With the change in leadership came a change in values. Subtle changes at first. But through the years, the changes are becoming more visible. Diversity is the name of the game these days, so a DEI leader was hired to keep the company in line with today’s ever changing values. Oh sure. A spiritual advisor is also on staff. The company now participates in pride events. Preferred pronouns aren’t mandatory, but some individuals have made sure to include theirs where they deem appropriate. Book clubs for the management team have offered discussions on racism, equity and inclusion. Movie nights that further the leftist agenda have been scheduled for employees. Discussions of biblical beliefs are spoken in quiet and behind closed doors by those who hold firmly to their faith but are unsure whether to make their faith more public.
Some employees who are committed to their faith in God have noticed the shift toward wokeness. Dare they say anything? If they can stay under the radar of the leftist leanings, can they stay employed? Will there come a day when they will be expected to participate? If so, what will they do? How do they know when to go against the flow when the flow goes against everything they believe?
In schools, some teachers are facing backlash against their stance on issues that have nothing to do with education. Commencement speakers are threatened with being canceled when they publicly support family values. Pro-life advocates trying to help women make life-saving choices for their unborn child are being sentenced to prison. Female athletes are being forced to share private spaces with males who change their pronouns. Males are forcing their way into female sporting events and calling it fair when they win. And so many applaud.
There’s a cultural agenda being pushed that is pushing biblical values out of the mainstream. Uncommon issues are now becoming commonplace. And everyone is expected to comply and agree. Or else there will be trouble. Christians are being asked to go along with the agenda just to get along. And many are. Many are forced into silence in order to stay employed. Or to stay on the right career path.
If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15
Has it hit you yet? Has anyone come for you because of your stance on biblical values? Or, do you keep quiet? Are you unsure of when you should speak and when you should be silent on issues that you firmly stand for or against? When your beliefs and your voice are in the minority, how can you be heard? When should you be heard? Oh. Perhaps the time hasn’t come for you, but it most likely will. And then you’ll be forced to decide how to navigate the pond of wokeness. And the decision you make could change the course of your life. Are you willing to pay the price?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were literally put in the fire for refusing to bow to the manmade idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had built. Even after being given a second chance to bow, they still refused. Oh. They had bowed to other requests and requirements the king had previously demanded. They had been taken exile to a foreign land. They had changed their names. They had learned witchcraft and sorcery. They were forced to become eunuchs. They were indoctrinated into the ways and customs of Babylon. But this time, the king had drawn a line they weren’t willing to cross. And so they said no. Not once, but twice. And they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Because of their faithful witness, God showed favor on them and spared their lives.
You can read the story of these three brave young men in Daniel 3.
We may not be thrown into a literal fire, but we may get burned. And we may not survive without being scorched and scarred. We may not be as fortunate as these three young men. But God is with us when we call on his name. He will not leave us to fight our battles alone. He fights for us, even when we don’t see it.
I recently listened to a couple of episodes of the Biblical Worldview Show podcast. The guest speaker gave some tips on knowing when to take a stand for our faith. The first step was to make sure we’re not looking for the fight. We shouldn’t be the one to throw the first punch. The second tip is to know who the enemy is. If you don’t know your true enemy, you may win the wrong battle. A third suggestion is to make sure the battle we’re facing is the one we really want to fight. Will your conscience be clear if you step away from this battle? Fourth, make sure you have counted the cost of fighting the battle. We must know what we are willing to risk before we enter the ring.
In the second episode, the speaker gave four tips on how to appeal to authorities. First, ask the authority to make a change about the situation. Ask them to concede on the issue. Two, make sure you have the right words. Know your subject well and know what you want to say. Three, make sure the time to approach the individual is appropriate. Lastly, make sure you have the right response regardless of what happens. Prepare your response before you get into the fight. You may be able to change their mind at a later time if you handle the situation correctly.
You can watch the episodes here and here.
Above all, we must be in prayer about how, when and why we are to ever stand up for our beliefs in a hostile environment. There are times when it’s best to remain silent. Other times, there is no choice but to voice our opposition to the situation. We must also seek wise counsel from godly people in our lives. Perhaps someone else has faced a similar situation and can give guidance.
We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:15
Mercy for the Day 