Choosing No Side Is Making A Choice

It isn’t easy picking a side that you hope will win. Sports betting determine odds, and though I’ve never bet, I’m sure there’s a risk with putting your money down no matter who seems more likely to win. I think that’s why fantasy football must exist. All the challenges of choice, but none of the risk. Maybe? I’m not sure I care.

I read a thoughtful article this morning from the beginning of 2021, and without using the language, words, or examples, I feel like we are living in a time when it’s challenging to choose which side to be on. [Message me if you want my source.] It will be easy to bully people down the pathway of those in power who want to control, but the bottom line is when we say nothing, are we simply giving in to the eventual winners?

With bullhorns blasting from the sidelines, each side shouts and clamors for attention. Those caught between the sides are slammed from either side, but choosing one over the other doesn’t always make sense.

I teach there are 40 sides to a story,
so imagine if we defined our side based on
race, ethnicity, culture, nation, state, county, city, neighborhood, have’s and have nots.
While we’re at it let’s add careers, health, family, language, education…anything else?

It’s a complex picture. Keep adding pieces to the puzzle of your life as they come to light. Politics, culture, technology; it doesn’t matter. Some proponents think you are wrong for going the opposite direction, and suddenly you are now the opponent..

Here’s A List For You

Masks, or even better, lets add more masks. (Remember when we were encouraged to wear masks – It will only be for a week or so.) Gasp! You’re not wearing yours! Help! Help! Violator! I went into the store without mine last night. I left it at home. I zipped my jacket and pulled it up to my nose and walked hunched over to make it be my mask.

Vaccinations – the more, the merrier! Gasp! You refuse! Here, let me tune you out and turn you over to the authorities. My doctor gave me the flu vaccination last week, my pneumonia booster is due next year, and I need to get the shingles vaccination, update my tetanus, and by all means get your C-19 booster quickly!

Physical separation or social separation. Yikes! I’ve not seen my granddaughter in nearly two years!

Keep adding the differences. Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge – forget all the other brands. Macintosh vs. Windows vs. Chrome. Democrat vs. Republican vs. all others. Gasoline or Electric. Democracy or Royalty or Dictatorship, and in many cases, we watch Socialism creep in to confuse the issues even more.

There will always be sides to everything—even religion.

There is no middle. Why? That’s suddenly a side of its own.

Standing on the sidelines (and there are many sidelines) are people who believe their way is better than yours. Their choice matters and yours does not. The same arguments come from any side. With the same words and sentiments, arguments are presented to say who’s right or not. My body, my right, says one group of believers who support a landmark Supreme Court decision from the ’70s. But you cannot force me to vaccinate because it’s my body, my right.

Your Perspective vs. Mine

Okay. Maybe it’s persnickety perspective.

I saw this sign on the web somewhere, and though I cannot validate it’s veracity, it really speaks about the times we are living.

Is this who we’ve become? The right? Left? The far right? Far left? If you are in between, what are your leanings? Who speaks for your beliefs? Are you even allowed to believe that way? Are you allowed to stay neutral? Probably not. You must exercise your voice and right to vote to keep challengers from forcing their viewpoints on your liberties and freedom.

Don’t even get me started thinking about who gets to decide what any side looks like!

I’ve been chatting with many folks lately who are reeling from the blows they receive from various sides that exist. “I’m out of here!” Some want to bail and run instead of staying and standing up to the weirdness that makes them want to flee. If you stay, you must make a difference. That’s your choice! To abide means, you must fight back. To go, well, let’s say no matter where you go, there will be battle lines.

Someone asked me some years back about isolating a portion of the nation
and putting all Christians into it…
then those who have no affiliation can live how they want.
My response? I’m sure I don’t remember.

Think about it. This separation attitude sounds like a path we’ve been down before. Any century is a witness to this isolating idea. We’re good at lumping similar views together and declare victory. Then, infighting begins and we whittle away those sideline views until we get down to the core of who we can socialize with. What’s left? A sliver. Standing by itself, and suddenly there’s no one else to get rid of.

Let’s Ask God

We could paint this story from any perspective. Since I have a Judeo-Christian worldview, let me ask God a simple question. Are we living and doing what’s right?

You can find many examples, but let me share just one. Israel had drifted from God, and suddenly a prophet showed up to tell the nation what God wanted them to hear.

Wash yourselves, purify yourselves.
Put away the evil of your doings from My sight; stop doing evil.
Learn to do good, seek justice, straighten the oppressor, judge the orphan, strive for the widow.
Come now and let us reason together, says Jehovah:
Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow;
though they are red as the crimson, they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and hear, you shall eat the good of the land.
But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword;
for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken.
(Isaiah 1:16-20 LITV)

Maybe we are in need of a prophet? Perhaps. But I believe the Holy Spirit speaks louder in our hearts than a voice does to our ears. How do you hear from God? Prayer is your petition. The Word provides your answer. What we have need of, we find in God’s Word.

This is what the world needs more of – Prayer and the Word.

What side will you believe? We shall believe the report of the Lord! Who was the report about? Jesus! (Isaiah 53) Where do we get the Word? From Jesus. (John 1:1, 14) Where do we get the Holy Spirit from? Jesus. (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7)