In our culture today we see a lot of people talking of reformation, rebellion, and resistance to perceived slights and injustices. They carry signs, wear bold banners or shirts or hats to proclaim their cause. That led me to thinking about how we view these reformers in the midst when they do not reflect a common view. They are momentum filled, dream fueled and vision motivated. Language plays a huge part in any cultural or social struggle. Propaganda and strong rhetoric have been used since Romans gossiped that the early Christians were cannibals eating the flesh of their God! The words used take on great weight. Words are redefined to reflect new or different views.
A truth is that 'reformers" are a;ways seen as active, moving, momentum filled, vision driven and dream enabled.
"Conservatives", "Traditionalists" or as I call them the "Insisters" are seem as static, nonmotive, 'sticks in the mud' and their 'standing firm' seen as mere inaction.
"Making a Stand" was once seen as rock solid resistance to the inroads of evil, sin, corruption and all things negative. When we can do nothing else - we stand firm. Today this action tends to be viewed as a lost cause huddle at the Alamo, a last ditch statement of doom and failure by a lonely few.
The marching horde, smiling, flags waving, marching upward with the rays of a smiling son filling the sky were favored symbols in decades of popular Marxist, Socialist and Communist posters and illustrations. They saw the value of reformers being seen as future focused, active, positive, mobile and engaged.
Controlling the image, the dialogue, reinterpreting terms and rules and symbols are all tools of corporate and institutional climate change.
In the culture struggles of changing times make sure that all terms used have an agreed upon single meaning, make sure that both the ones wishing change and those who do not wish that change are favored with equal and balanced rhetoric. Who is the resister and who is the insister can shift on a dime. It encourages caution, temperance, tolerance and kindness.
Today's Resister could be tomorrow's Insister.
All reasons that when Christians disagree they should follow different rules than the culture - they should be more charitable, more loving and tolerant. If differences develop creating deeply held theological canyons of disagreement they should celebrate their common ground even as they move apart.
In the end - God will sort us all out - his criteria is in the Bible. Did we accept the work of Christ? Did we love? Did we work on behalf of God to witness of God through words, deeds, and actions? Did we place God first and ourselves last? Did we depend on political maneuvers or did we depend on God?
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