"that offends me"

We live in a day where none of us want to hear this dreadful claim made about something we said or did or even associated with. Culturally selected people can claim that a word, a symbol, a song, a person from the past, an image or just about anything can disturb them, make them feel uncomfortable and cause them emotional pain. I, in no way, wish to diminish the feelings of anyone who hurts, or excuse mistakes of history, or make light of ever present stereotypes that put humans into a bondage that produces biased thoughts.

It appears that weaponizing the idea that someone offended someone is the most efficient way to shame people into submission. Shaming is especially attainable if you include the oppressed and those who are a target of injustice. This has formed "the cancel culture." Anyone can be fired, kicked out of school or off a team, and ostracized by the mainstream powers of society if you are guilty of offending the wrong person or people group. Heck, others can shame you not only for what you say but for being silent and saying nothing at all. There exists an ever present fear, not only in the oppressed but anyone deemed an oppressor.

People are expected to be empathetic and love everyone who are different from them. Culture demands inclusion. You cannot be an intolerant defender of offenders in any way. Having an openness to those who are different is a good goal for society. The problem lies in what should empathy should look like? Sometimes it seems the shamers view love as being complicit in the demands of the offended. Please, in the name of love, give anyone who is offended what they want. It often seems shamers view the issue of offending others as a way to get some of their power. This causes tensions to rise for everyone.

This tension puts many well intended people in a pickle. There are those in our society who value their history, the founding fathers and the US Constitution. These values don't lack an understanding that institutions, who have systematically oppressed others, have structural sources of injustice that should be reformed. The problem comes when the shamers demand that these endearing values be abolished and eliminated, not just fixed. If you are one to push back, or even hold your tongue in defense of your values, you are now guilty of being unjust and unloving.

The problem lies in how human nature weaponizes IDENTITY. Humans operate foremost from the way they see themselves. Psychologists call this self concept. Minority identities get in their corner and attack majority identities as a threat. This is why identifying by race, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and such are popular identities. These are seen as the oppressed, who have the right to take from those they identify as privileged, those who have the resources and power to oppress. The oppressed uses the morality of justice as their justification. Being seen as unjust is where all humans are the most vulnerable to shame.

The Christian is in a much bigger pickle. Love is the mantra of identifying with Christ. Being unloving makes Christians really open for guilt and shame. Christians should be the biggest purveyors of justice, shouldn't they? Isn't justice just love in action? The world wants everyone to think so. After all, justice is their ace in the hole.

Let's take a closer look. Going straight to the Bible is always a good option.

First of all, Jesus speaks often of the injustice you will experience carrying His identity. "Turn the other cheek." "Go the second mile."  "Eye for an eye" is NOT your go to option. "Love your enemy." Wait, where is the justice in forgiveness. Isn't forgiveness JUST tolerance? The accounts of Paul's missionary journeys reminds us that as he was received in the synagogues from city to city, he was welcomed until he preached the resurrection. That offended the leaders and he was then run out of town.

Peter says Christ is the cornerstone of God's Kingdom. This makes Him a stumbling block to the world. Stumbling blocks offend all opposition. Jesus says He is the light of the world and that darkness hates light. Light is pretty intolerant of darkness, wouldn't you say? Light is quite a threat to darkness. Darkness fears light, but does light fear darkness. Maybe there's something here for us to ponder. Oh, btw, we are called to let His light shine in our life. Does the light of Christ in us make us intolerant of other identities? Does this offense give the world the right to shame Christians?

Jesus does say we will be rejected because of our identity in Him. He does say the world will hate us when we put our trust in Him. Is it possible to both love others and offend them at the same time?

What a pickle Christians are in? How can we ever testify to the hope that is in us if we are destined to offend those who don't identify with Christ? What is the answer?

Identifying with Jesus means love is way different than the world's idea of inclusion and complicity. Reflecting Jesus' light sees others as no threat at all. There is no competition for power. There is no bondage to needing the approval of others. There is no fear. There is no shame. Motivation is from generosity, not fair exchange nor entitlement. All that our soul needs is found in our identity in Christ. We are then free to love all kinds of people somewhat oblivious to their claims for power and attempts to shame us.

"Fear not, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you His Kingdom." Competing with the world for material goodies is not the end game of Christians. "This is how they will know Him, that we have love for one another." A love, which does not compete with and has no fear of those who identify with the world, likely will either draw those in darkness to the light or the light will offend them. But, it's Jesus who attracts, and its Jesus who offends. After all, the world has already had its shot at shaming Him.