Councilman Trevino declared: “Everyone has a place here, and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport.”
Everyone, apparently, except those who affirm biblical morality.
The canary in the cultural mine
Chick-fil-A has become the proverbial canary in the cultural mine. Because the Cathy family has been consistent in their support for biblical marriage, their business has come under escalating pressure from those who stand to profit politically by doing so.
To be clear: These attacks have nothing to do with the company’s actual business. My internet search could not find a single instance when an LGBTQ customer or employee alleged discrimination against the restaurant.
But we now live in a day when business owners can face discrimination for their personal commitment to biblical morality, even if their customers make no allegations against them. Private charitable contributions that are completely unrelated to your company will be used against you, as the Cathys have found.
The city of Phoenix has forbidden two artists from refusing to create artwork celebrating same-sex marriage and also forbids them to express publicly the Christian beliefs that prevent them from doing so.
And the state of New York is attempting to force a Christian adoption provider to place children in same-sex households or close its adoption services.
“The only metric of success that really matters”
One of the ways God redeems discrimination against Christian morality is by using it to draw Christians closer to each other.
After Peter and John were threatened for preaching the gospel, “they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23). In the face of escalating persecution, those in their faith community “were of one heart and soul” (v. 32). As a result, “with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all” (v. 33).
She begins with the memorial service for her deceased brother, where she was greatly moved by the depth of community he and his family had built. She admits: “Before Robbie got sick, if you had asked me if community mattered, I would have said yes. But I wouldn’t have thought about it much. Nor would I have spent much time working out what it meant.”
After her brother died, she says, “I wanted to do less and be more. And what I wanted to be was more connected—not only to my family and close friends, but to the people around me.”
Anderson cites compelling evidence that strong social ties are directly correlated to longer, happier living. After making intentional decisions to forge closer relationships with neighbors and friends, she concludes: “I used to think that community was as simple as having friends who bring a lasagna when things fall apart and champagne when things go well. Who pick up your kids from school when you can’t. But I think community is also an insurance policy against life’s cruelty; a kind of immunity against loss and disappointment and rage. My community will be here for my family if I cannot be. And if I die, my kids will be surrounded by people who know and love them, quirks and warts and oddities and all.”
“They went to their friends”
As the 2020 election cycle escalates, we should expect those who profit politically by discriminating against Christians to escalate such mistreatment. But we should also remember that those who obey the word of God stand with the God of the word. He promises to reward all who suffer persecution for his sake (Matthew 5:11).
One way our Lord rewards us is by leading us into community with others who are also defending biblical truth. It is easier to stand for Jesus when we know we are not standing alone. The closer we draw to God’s people, the closer we draw to God.
Note the phrase that began our Acts 4 text: “They went to their friends.”
Who are your friends today?
Who considers you theirs?
NOTE: Easter is coming, and I would love to send you a copy of Journey to the Resurrection, an Easter devotional I’ve recently written. This new, fifteen-day guide will help prepare your heart for the season.
Click to listen to The Daily Article PodcastSubscribe to The Daily Article podcast on iTunes or Stitcher to receive it at the same time this email is sent. If not subscribed, the podcast will be available via this link by 7am CST.
Jim Denison, Ph.D., speaks and writes on cultural and contemporary issues. He is a trusted author and subject matter expert in areas where faith and current events intersect. His Daily Article provides leading insight for discerning today’s news from a biblical perspective.
