Do the Opposite

There is a private wrestling match going on in me. It has to do with how to navigate the force-fields that are operating in the world right now. More than that, I struggle with the sense that we as followers of Jesus must get prepared to live apart from the surrounding culture, not taking our cues from media, politics or any other of the cultural bellwethers, but from the Spirit and from the example of our predecessors in the faith.

Yesterday I had a discussion with a young friend who was curious about my political opinions. I told him I had very few. That was being honest. I have little confidence in political motivations and the ability of government to bring about a just and peaceful world. Moreover, I doubt that we are getting real transparency through the media and from persons in places of power who have good reason to tell the viewing public what the focus groups say we want to hear. I mediated my indifference by telling him that I felt it was improper and counterproductive for me to throw my negativity into the roiling cauldron of discontent that passes for discourse these days. Instead, I told him that I was committed to pray for the leadership in our country and beyond. I even went so far as to say I was a monarchist and that my King was not of this world. I had a twinkle in my eye when I said it, but the statement is probably truer than I gave him reason to believe.

So, here’s the thing. The world around us going in directions we cannot go. That means that if we intend to survive the coming storm of marginalization, rejection and ridicule we will need to decide what we believe and form a community. Then, that community will have to decide how to live.

Back to the discussion with my young friend. When he queried me about social ills, including the environment and the issue du jour, gender, I simply said that I felt that it did little good to curse and cry outrage when we could multiply those energies toward changing our corner of the world. If there is poverty, let us be generous. If we see people being abused, regardless of who they are, defend and protect. If there is exploitation of the environment, let us care for it.

In other words, when we see the ills and follies of our world, let our community do the opposite.

That’s right. DO THE OPPOSITE.

There, in my opinion, is the value of the news reports and the media. They point to the ills that our people—the community of Jesus followers—can heal in our corner of the world. Little will be accomplished if we should carry placards, march, rant and rail at injustice, abuse and exploitation. More will be done if we identify the problem and exert our passions toward what we can do together, doing the opposite of the evil report where we can.

That is what this series will attempt to do. As we navigate “the culture at midnight”, we can identify evil and despair, and then act. What does the “me, too” movement require of us? Is there something we can do while others “take a knee”? If corporations pollute and exploit, what will we do to honor the creation of God where we live? Let others strain against the cables and hurl themselves against the Bastille. Let us quietly take up the plow and the shovel. Let us take up the abandoned babies as our predecessors in the faith did. Let us find others of like mind and without fanfare, change a little corner of the world. As Mother Theresa said…