On January 5, Franklin Graham told almost 2000 chilly Idahoans who gathered at the capitol in Des Moines in his first Decision America event, “I believe we are perilously close to the moral tipping point for the survival of the United States of America.” Later in his speech he strongly encouraged Christians to put feet to their prayers by becoming politically active, vote according to their Christian beliefs, and run for office, which is all well and good. We should vote according to what we believe, and we ought to run for office if we think we can accomplish what needs to happen. However, I am afraid that God’s people have too long been trying to legislate morality rather than working to change hearts. You see, in the past, we had something called the blue laws, which restricted alcohol sales and movie theater showings on Sunday. Before that we had prohibition which restricted alcohol sales completely for about 13 years or so. That’s a nice thought and all, but here is the real deal: No one came to know Jesus because of the laws we encouraged to be enacted. No life was dramatically turned around because of those laws. In fact, prohibition encouraged the growth of organized crime. Here in the South it saw moonshining as an occupation, which in a weird twist of fate saw the birth of NASCAR. There are a few moonshiners in my family’s history by the way, but don’t tell anyone. It’s all hush-hush.
Legislation is fine, but all it does is anger the sinner. It is time that we live according to what we believe. It is time that we look like a follower of Jesus. It is time that we have compassion for those who have wrecked their lives because they have chosen worldly ways. It is time that we befriend them and love them. Our lives can show them that following Jesus may not offer the same kinds of thrills that a worldly lifestyle offers, but rather a life of following Jesus offers peace where there was none before. It offers hope of something better. It offers kindness and a family who will love you even with your warts and all the mess you bring with you.
I challenge you today to befriend a neighbor, I mean really become a friend to someone who is lost. Don’t preach at them. Don’t highlight their ways, but rather show them love and compassion and a smiling face. Pray for them, and let the Holy Spirit do His thing during your relationship. You just stay out of God’s ways. Don’t try to change their ways, before God changes their hearts. If a heart is truly changed, then their lives will be transformed over time as they get closer and closer to their Savior. As followers ourselves, we are given a mandate by Jesus to share what He has done with us with others. It is our duty and our privilege, but I will be honest. It often isn’t easy. It sometimes makes us love those who are unlovable. It sometimes places us in situations where we really don’t want to be. It is messy doing God’s work, but it’s got to be done. If we do what He told us to do, then we don’t have to run for office, because the one we reached is. If we do what He told us to do, then we don’t have to legislate unacceptable behaviors because those behaviors will be changed from the inside. God told the Israelites in Exodus 14 to quit your praying and go forward. It’s time for us to “Go Forward.”
Exodus 14:15 And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
Blessings,
Steve DuVall
Steve DuVall
