Love HarderSample

Love Culture vs. Cancel Culture

Let me be super transparent for a moment. I know there are consequences for our actions. I know it’s not smart or healthy to keep allowing someone to abuse you or anyone you care about in any way. I know...on this earth...if we allow certain behaviors to go unchecked, it can wreck communities, and esteem and reap utter chaos.

I struggle with our responses...my responses.

When someone does something to wrong me, is my response one of self-protection or is it one of vindictiveness? Is my response concerned about me only or is there room for concern about the person who has wronged me?

Put in 21st century terms, is one of my first thoughts to love...or to cancel?

The election cycles of the past few years have stood out to me because it’s the first time I remember seeing...” If you voted for *****, then you can unfriend me immediately.”

OK, some of that may have been due to less social media in the early 2000s but I wonder, is it just that easy? If we disagree vigorously, then is it as simple as unfriending?

As I look at the gospels in the New Testament, I see multiple occasions where Jesus was invited and ate with Pharisees. When we think of Pharisees, we typically think of arrogant legalists who were constantly plotting to trip up Jesus.

And yet, he constantly went to their homes and quite comfortably RECLINED at the table.

When someone thinks differently, believes differently, speaks differently, or acts differently, is it possible to love them or are they canceled?

Jesus didn’t cancel the Pharisees and if I’m being transparent again, my own behavior sometimes warrants His cancellation. But, His love addition is greater than any subtraction. How’s that for an equation...!

Love harder!