Not Without Hope

The world is full of different views and perspectives. Many conflicting. Many come from brokenness and sin. Now more than ever we are seeing our need for patience and for thoughtful contemplation.

Wrongs have been perpetuated for generations. Sin has not been rooted out in dark corners. Loyalties have been drawn in places that have nothing to do with the Lord. 

Not all bad. Some down right evil. But as we wake up to things that we have shielded our eyes to, there has been a tendency to make snap decisions. To label. To brush off. To cancel.

But as I was reminded in a podcast that I listened to lately “Biblical justice is not punitive, it is restorative.” (That Sounds Fun podcast, with Jordan Rice)

Our goal should be to restore. To seek reconciliation “As far as it is depends on you”. 

Now does that mean entertaining obviously wrong view points? No. Does it mean not confronting lies? No. Does it mean allowing yourself to be belittled and mocked? No.

So what does it mean?

It means to see everyone as an image bearer of God. It means to do your own work before you enter into conflict.  It means remembering that in the Gospel, no one was without hope.

In the Gospel, Jesus came across many who were “hopeless”. And what did He do?  He stayed and did the work. He did not water down the Truth of the Gospel, and He did not brush past those who seemed far from it. 

In light of the Gospel, there is no canceling. There is not cutting out of relationships, or labeling as hopeless.  

No, there is only leaning in. Extending both truth and grace. Calling out and Calling up. There is only the pursuit of truth and unity. The call to seek reconciliation.

Reconciliation does not mean that the relationship will look as it did before. Reconciliation may still look like distance and boundaries. But there is peace there. There is unity there.  There is an understanding of value and worth. 

In the Gospel no one is hopeless. No one is cancelled. Justice is not just calling out sin. But the seeking of restoration and unity. It is not just wiping your hands and walking away. It is prayer  and  petition. It is seeking peace and forgiveness.  

It is the hope that even if there will no longer be a relationship there will not be a tear in unity.  There will be no allowance for bitterness, slander, or resentment. 

Cancel culture is not upholding truth. But destroying unity.

Justice without extending the hand of grace and restoration is not Biblical justice.  

Only Jesus can maintain unity and uphold Truth.  We cannot manipulate it into being. We cannot force someone to believe or to be restored.  But we can pray.  And when we pray for the things that God loves, we can walk in confidence that He will do it. 

“So far as it depends on us”, which means we are not ultimately in control.  Not of others, not of the carrying out of justice.  Those are the Lord’s.  But we are in control of our response.  We are incontrol of our humility and repentance. We are in control of our desire for truth.