What Are You Actually Fighting For?

I think on any day when we’re collectively for one cause is an important time to pay attention to our intentions. Whether it’s fighting for human rights or love or what’s fair, without God, none of it really has any fruit that will last beyond today.

Seeking justice outside of God isnt justice at all. It will look like hate one upping another type of hate. It will look like belittling them as I take “my rightful place.” It will look like the oppressed suddenly becoming the oppressor. It will look like a power struggle. It will look like everybody living by their own authority. It will look like chaos.

I think when we shake our fists, spew our words in the name of what is better, we don’t realize how we are actually flaming the problem. We forget what God says because what God says goes against EVERYTHING the world says is ok. We forget to love God and love people because we think love is conditional and only for those we like. We forget that our voice is not the most important, but rather my voice sharing the good news of God is what needs to be heard to make all things new.

My suffering can dictate how I avenge, or I can let God dictate how I respond to everything about everything. 

This weekend my pastor shared about some things Jesus said, and I appreciated his confidence in sharing that the authority we are under as believers means we will have to do things we do not want to do. We believe in God or we don’t. We trust every. bit. of His Word or we don’t. We have no basis to decide what verse is true or not. We can choose what to believe about the Bible, but then we are under our own authority. We are then a part of another kingdom. We don’t get to straddle a line and step into the kingdom of our convenience when the time is right.

I choose God.

I choose his righteousness. 

I choose the way he decides to seek justice.

I choose to live under the authority of a whole bunch of truth that my brain can’t make sense of, but that my faith trusts is real actual literal true love. 

So maybe truly seeking justice means we go against the norm, and we stop fighting hate with hate. Maybe we stop trying to convince people of our opinion, and we choose to be under a freeing, loving authority that is not just a better way, but the Jesus way.

Friend, under God, you’re free.

Act like it.