Woke: Living for an Audience of One in a Cancel CultureSampl

Resistance Starts In The Mind

Yesterday, we mentioned that there is nothing new under the sun; cancel culture is no exception. In Numbers 14, we see Moses get canceled. In 1 Samuel 18, Saul also gets canceled. Even Jesus was not exempt as He, too, was seemingly canceled by the people He came to save. 

A brief look at the history of cancel culture suggests that things started well enough. The idea was that “canceling” would be an accountability tool for marginalized communities to embrace a hit-them-where-it-hurts approach as protest against public figures who used their platforms for harmful conduct. As someone from a marginalized community, I understand the original value. However, as a Christian, I recognize a familiar pattern that involves the enemy corrupting what starts with good intentions. 

Today, the very thing that intended to help is now creating new groups of marginalized people—like the Christian business owner who faces legal ramifications for refusing to compromise her standards, the preacher who faces backlash for his sermon, and the homeschooling mom who is taunted and labeled closed-minded for posting a Christ-centered curriculum on her Facebook page. If anyone can become a victim, what, then, is the solution?

As Christians navigate social pressures, it is imperative to look to the word of God for a blueprint on how to respond. One great example is the book of Daniel, which affirms that resistance to compromise starts with the mind. 

In chapter 1, we see Daniel groomed to enter King Nebuchadnezzar's service. Part of his training dictated how he was to look and what he was allowed to eat. However, early on, Daniel remembered a higher authority and resolved not to defile himself by compromising his convictions. While it was a risky decision, an unbending posture positioned him to see the salvation of the Lord and to be a witness to those around him.

Today, we must stand on the truth that the God of Daniel is unchanging. As He has done for others, He is able to make us an example in our communities while rescuing those who stand decisively on His word.