I have been reading a lot about “safe spaces” on college campuses for students who feel threatened, but it wasn’t until I read the Miriam Webster definition that I got a shocking revelation about them. “A place (as on a college campus) intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.” In other words, it is an isolation chamber away from anyone who looks acts or even thinks differently than you. Ironically, the first thought that came to my mind was the “Whites Only” signs on businesses in my early childhood. That too was an effort to isolate from those who were different. College campus used to be the very place to encounter the criticism, bias, actions and ideas of others and engage them in conversation and debate after which we could simply agree to disagree and maintain a friendly relationship. Our credo was, “I may disagree with what you say, but I will fight to my death to defend your right to say it.” Have we raised a generation who now find such things threatening and even frightening?
I am opposed to the terms “hate crime” and “hate speech”. A criminal should be punished to the full extent of the law no matter what motivated them to commit a crime. Any expression of an idea that does not agree with your beliefs can now be labeled hate speech even though there is no hatred involved. One example I saw on Face Book recently was when a Christian friend simply posted that he believes in the Biblical definition of marriage. He did not condemn or even mention those with different beliefs. He was attacked for that positive affirmation of his own faith as if he had hatefully attacked the entire LGBTQ community with threats and vitriol. The only true hate speech came from the woman who was triggered by his faith.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we will face opposition and ridicule just as He did. That opposition is one of the ways you can tell if you are following God’s plan for your life and making progress. The enemy will do everything he can to distract us and get us off track from doing God’s work. I want to share with you three important points about facing opposition.
First, we must not run from it and seek isolation ourselves, trembling in fear. “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” (Proverbs 29:25) “This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him.” (Psalms 91:2)
Second, we must realize the people who attack us are not our enemy. “For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) Going after people with a counter attack is exactly what our real enemy wants us to do; be distracted by their taunts and then become just like them.
Finally, we don’t have to react to them at all. The most recent sermon series at CLC has been about Nehemiah doing the good work of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. When he faced criticism and ridicule from others he didn’t let it distract him. He just ignored them, prayed about it and went right back to doing God’s work.