Do you find it easier or harder to take a stand as you become older? Should we become more accommodating, more understanding or more bold in our faith?
I was a member of an industry-networking group. The demographic of the group was 50-plus, male and all were professional and some very highly respected in their particular areas of expertise. The group met for splendid lunches in cozy surroundings, lubricated with good wines and spirits. I enjoyed their company very much and was sad to leave. Who wouldn’t be?
My departure was prompted by the gratuitous email circulation of pornographic images. Oh, for electronic modesty covers! I was surprised that they were surprised at my polite request to stop circulating erotic images among the members or at least to me.
Naturally, the courage to take a stand was faith based. They knew I was a Christian but my faith wouldn’t have been persuasive for them, so I protested that my company had a policy on such images. Then, when it was suggested that I use my home email I replied that not only did I not want these images on my work computer I also did not want them on my home PC; especially where my wife and children sharing the same desktop would be exposed to these degrading images arriving in my Inbox.
The silent majority was just that: silent. At one end of the spectrum some openly mocked my concern and at the other end, some told me privately they respected my position. But when good men are silent, evil triumphs. I don’t regret the stand but I miss the lunches! Maybe I should have hated the sin but loved the sinners more?
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers” Psalm 1:1
