Show Your Faith

Show Your Faith

We’ve found out something interesting. Reality TV has nothing to do with reality. I’m betting that is a shock to no one.

Karen and I had watched a reality show about couples who met abroad, until it turned into nothing but a parade of the absurd to the point we couldn’t even watch. Wonding if anyone else felt the same, we looked at the reviews. The moderator on the comments section said explicitly they did not tolerate hate speech. Only supportive comments were allowed about certain couples and certain subjects. All comments derogatory about certain couples would be deleted and you would be blocked. However, there was one couple that was religious, and proud of their religion. The moderator had no problems with the pages and pages of anti-Catholic, anti-Christian comments. Things like “as a recovering Catholic …”

Recovering Catholic? As if it were a 12-step program to leave Christianity? Why is it ok to be so anti-Christian?

Isn’t it odd that you’re prevented from commenting on the ludicrous, but bashing the Faithful is encouraged?

It’s created an environment where many are coping with the pressure by hiding their faith. They’d rather stay quite than be ridiculed.

The surprising thing is that Christ foresaw this happening 2000 years ago when he sent out his Disciples. Before Christ sent Disciples out, He imparted on them some words of wisdom.

I’d like to read a few excerpts from Matthew.

Matthew 10:16-19

_16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 10: 21-39

21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[b] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c]

37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Who would have ever thought Christ would be a divisive? Recently I posted these passages in an online Bible study for our commentary. One of the questions that came up was why would Christ want man against his father, a daughter against mother?

I had wondered when if it were that easy to split up a family. It is just counter intuitive the Christ the bringer of peace would divide families. Why would God turn brother against brother and father against son? Why would this happen? Then I looked at our very recent history. We live in a time when political views have fractured us to the point that get you can be disowned by your family by casting a single November vote. NPR aired a story talking with folks who had either unfriended, or gone as far as disowning family member over who they voted for.1 I read one Dear Amy advice column where a young woman had been friendly with a favored uncle her whole life. =3-Really? Over a vote? This is getting worse. During the 2016 election, 30 percent of folks blocked someone because of their political views. In 2020 it is was up to 60% have stopped following each other.