One of the biggest challenges in our faith is how we Christians are to interact with the world surrounding us, particularly when that world seems so foreign, angry, tempting, or frustrating. How can we example Christ well? What does it look like to have pure religion in an impure world? How can we think through very real – yet very difficult – situations with faithfulness? While no online article itself can give the true depth we need, the following three point us toward wisdom…
- I’ve been looking for awhile for an article like this one: Sarah Zylstra writes of the story of a teen who embraced and then rejected the transgender pressures of her world. But the article is most remarkable not for the conclusion, but instead for the insights along the way: the pressures from social media, the acceptance of peers, the wisdom of her parents in the midst of heartbreak, the ultimate trust in the Lord. This is by far the best post I’ve read so far about what it looks like for Christians to trust the Lord and act in wisdom with regard to one aspect of transgenderism.
- A recent “Ask Pastor John” podcast/article gives great wisdom about how Christians are to interact with the poor. Given our own city’s struggles with this issue, our downtown location as a church, and our need to think carefully through what it means to be Christian in this situation, I encourage you to carefully think through what John Piper says. Piper’s own answer doesn’t necessarily need to be where you land, but his reasoning – and his warning about our own hearts and our own selfishness – is a wake-up call we need to consider. I would add that caring for the poor and homeless doesn’t always need to look like giving cash. Our church runs a food bank at the end of each month. As well, in our own community, the Gospel Mission does wonderful work and can always use not only donations, but also volunteers. When Helping Hurts is an eye-opening and helpful resource in this regard that we ran a class on several years ago. (See also an earlier “Ask Pastor John” on this topic, which I find even more helpful and practical)
- Finally, a thought from Tim Challies on what it looks like to have peace in this sin-soaked world – not strategies to be implemented or tips to be noted, but a robust trust and submission to Jesus…
