This week, we turn our attention to ideas about faithfully engaging the people that we live next to and work alongside…
- Transgenderism as a subject for conversation and as a topic in the news has certainly presented a challenge to Christians: how do we hold to God’s unchanging Word when it comes to male and female, while also speaking with and engaging neighbors, friends, and family who completely disagree with us? I found Beth Claes’ article “Talking About Transgenderism With Your Neighbor” to be a helpful starting point: “Our aim is not to win a debate, but to share truth with abundant grace. Our attitude and words toward people who see the world very differently should be filled with such great compassion that they may be surprised to learn we do not share their viewpoint.”
- Trevin Wax’s classic article “Do We Really Have to Politicize Everything?” provides a helpful backstory to how our society increasingly sees everything – including where you eat and what brands of clothing you purchase – as a political statement. Especially helpful are his comments at the end of the article about how Christians are to resist this push by keeping our focus – and our priorities – on Jesus.
- In a similar vein, Kevin DeYoung gives wise advice for how Christians can be faithful with how they do – and don’t – engage people they disagree with: “But if we are interested in debating ideas (not just destroying people) and interested in persuading (not just performing), we will try our imperfect best to speak and write in a way that aims to be clear, measured, and open to reason.”
