What Am I Willing To Lay Down?

It’s not about masks, vaccines, mandates, government takeovers, my rights, the end times, misinformation, papers, or even my opinion, the real issue, and the question I must ask myself as a believer must be, “What does this say about my heart and where it truly is? What am I willing to lay down?"

So much is happening in our world today. We seem to be hit with one controversy, event, or crisis after another. Issues are brought up, words exchanged, sides chosen, battle lines drawn, and all the while, the world watches the testimony of those who claim His name. 

As a parent and educator, for years I spent time sharing many very simple life lessons with those little ones in my life. Things like:

- Putting others before yourself

- Being kind in words and deeds

- Trusting the Lord and not living in Fear

- Honoring and obeying those in authority

- Seeking Him and His Kingdom first

- Doing unto others as you would have them do to you

- Unity, Compassion, Love, Courage, Faith, Trust, and so many other lessons.

Yet, some days, it seems, those lessons have been lost. I have been guilty of forgetting these lessons many times myself, as my mouth (or fingers) are sometimes in gear before my mind stops to consider what I am holding up or trumpeting or loudly proclaiming at that moment. Recently, I have found myself in some of these discussions that seem to come at the intersection of fear, rights, faith, and religion, and many times, I and/or others have missed the mark.

So much of the discussion these days seems to focus on self - my rights, my opinions, my choice, my decision, and quickly the discussion has become all about me. And when it does, I realize I am already wrong - for when it is all about me, it has ceased to be about Him. Over these last few days, I have realized something that up until now, I totally missed. 

It’s not about me, or masks, or mandates, or COVID, or vaccines, or government takeover, or my rights, or end times, or opinions (of which I have no end) - and sadly, that is what we have made it about, and in this, I and others have totally missed the boat. We have failed to realize that the real decision has been fear vs. faith, others vs. self, holding to my rights vs. laying them down. The real decision that we each have – is it about me, or is it about Him? Is it about an earthly kingdom, or an eternal one? Is it about faith, or is it about fear.

Maybe it has been fear of government overreach, of losing America or losing our rights, Maybe it has been fear of a virus, fear of a vaccine, or fear of the future. Whatever the reason, fear has permeated the discussion, when faith should be paramount. 

No matter our position, we have demonized the other side and made it known that their decision shows fear and lack of faith. We have called out other believers as if they were the enemy, and accused them of being fearful and not trusting God. It’s not about masks or vaccines or papers or government takeover, these are just symptoms of a bigger heart issue. Each decision could be based on fear or faith, and we loudly proclaim our decision as the one of faith and the opposite, the one of fear.

Obedience and submission do not equal fear, just as defiance and taking a stand do not equal courage and vice versa. Many times we have confused these things and judged other people because their opinion is different than ours. As we do this, we proclaim earthly things as eternal truth and equate God’s Word with things that never should be, putting ideas and opinions on an equal footing with Scripture, that was never intended.

Our discussion no longer civil, we berate one another, treating opinion as gospel truth, showing the world that our opinion trumps everything, that my rights are paramount, and what I fear most in the future drives me now. And in this, my heart and testimony are shown, as out of the abundance of my heart, my mouth speaks, or my fingers type. 

Regardless of my position, I must ask myself what is driving it? What is causing me to fight so hard for this? Is it fear, or is it faith? Is it God’s truth or my opinion? Is it love for another, or all about me? Is it all about my rights or am I laying those down? As I have read post after post after post, sometimes even from me, I have realized that what I am holding to is often more about me and not Him. What are we holding to more than Christ and what are we proclaiming the loudest? If it is all about my rights, what room is left for Him? 

What is most important to you? What is most important to me? Is it His name above all? Is it His testimony? Is it my rights and what I think? I can’t have it both ways. This week, these last few months, and even this last year, have been very convicting and humbling for me in many different ways. I’m realizing more and more, that I am very full of myself (I know, it is a shock to all who know me well), and that needs to be emptied for Him to have room. Above all this, I must remember, if it is all about me, then it is not about Him, and now more than ever, it must be about HIM.