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These are confusing times for the church and for its shepherds. Surrounded by an apostate culture, they are tempted to give in to the prevailing culture to keep their flock from wandering. When the gospel is considered politically incorrect by the public and even in schools of religion, these brave souls suffer isolation, fear, alienation. Yet, if they are truly called by God to serve in the pulpit, this is their lot. They must accept it or find something else to do.

Unfortunately, they are not often rewarded for the intensity of their persecution in serving the Lord. They are often subject, in their denominations, to relentless political correctness from their leaders and their peers. If they choose to please their ecclesiastical structure, they may also be drawn to siding with  liberal leanings away from the word of God. The gospel is considered too simple for the academics that exhort them to social action.

Pray for them. Hold them up. Give them an encouraging word. Their isolation is terrible, don't add to it. Their mentor is Jesus Christ. His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane is their pattern. Their courage and comfort is in the support of the Holy Spirit.

Sin is a strong word.

Language is changing fast. Some words, that were commonly used when I was growing up, are too powerful for today's discourse. Here are a few that are seldom used: man, virtue, coward, liar, wrong, false, chivalry, truth and sin.

I have noticed it in the bulletin at church. There is a place where we admit our lack of love and commitment to Christ. But the pastor alters the absolution phrase, that forgives us for our sin and substitutes words like "faults" or "shortcomings". What is the matter with the word "sin"? The word is too strong. A weaker word is used to avoid it.

Another word suffering the same fate is "man" and "men". I hear people avoiding this one all the time. The preferred alternative is "guy" or "guys". Never "gentlemen" or "gentleman". Man, once again, seems too strong for modern sensibiliites. Manliness (also avoided) consists of "virtue", the root of which is "man". No one "lies" or calls someone a "liar". Too strong. If people use a word that is not true, they are said to have misspoken. Hmmm.

Recently a congressman used the word "liar" during a presidential speech. He was correct, of course, in the choice of "liar" and in holding the President accountable for not speaking the truth. But "truth" is another word that is disappearing from our language, so the congressman was assailed from all sides for calling a "liar" a "liar". The President is considered to have been "wronged", even though he was wrong, in the strictest sense of the word, in stating his policies were not discriminating in favor of illegal aliens (er, undocumented immigrants) in healthcare.

When Jesus was with his disciples, he was asked who he really was and he said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

In the book of John, Pilate asks about Jesus kingship as reported in John's gospel,

³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

³⁸ To which Pilate retorted, “What is truth?”

What is truth, indeed? In our time, lies are more common than truth. Truth and words that ring with strength are disappearing. How do we get them back? We seek, love and share the truth. We use powerful words to re-establish their meaning and existence in our time. We resist "politically correct" circumlocutions that bend and hide the truth.

Let's recognize our bent to sinning and the world of sin and death that we live in. Let's call sin sin. Let's call truth truth. Let's call courage courage and use the word hero for a hero, not a popular sports figure. Let's re-establish virtue, expecting it of others. Let's be men and leave the "guys" to the feminized community of metro-sexual persons.

Courage

When Jesus asks us to take up our cross and follow Him, we may respond weakly. We may even respond weekly! But I'm more and more certain that his beckoning is to full surrender, not partial. Instead of being slaves to sin and worldliness, we have to forge a different path, toward "perfection" in God's terms, not those of the world. When we whine that "we're only human" he is not glorified. We are made in the image and likeness of God, our father, so we are to grow into full adulthood as His sons, following the modelling of our brother Jesus. He is our Lord and Savior, but he doesn't want to carry us. He wants us to assume our full stature as children of the Father. Then we can be the co-creators we are called to be. This is why we must surrender all. All the Thee, our Blessed Savior.

The best attitude model for us is Peter. He may have been flawed, but he alone got out of the boat to join Jesus walking on the water. He alone, following the prompting of the Holy Spirit, was first to identify Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God". Jesus chose Peter upon which to build His church, not for his intellect, but for his courageous heart. Even when he faltered in the Garden of Gethsemane and later in the courtyard where the mob took Jesus, he showed courage. He was afraid and he faltered, similarly to when he tried walking on water, but he took himself to the edge of his courage and beyond. Are we following Peter's example?

The most courageous act of courage was Jesus going to Calvary. He showed the apostles what it meant to pick up their cross and follow Him. Then they picked up their crosses, and with the strength of the helper given them at Pentecost, they carried it to their own deaths.

Are you ready to give all? All means all, you know. Are you courageous in speaking the truth to the world about our Lord? Are you courageous at your workplace, or just in your church? Are you courageous in your own family? Are you courageous in your intention to go on to perfection?

Stand firm, warriors for Christ. He'll help you. Be brave. Follow Him, wherever He leads, with your whole heart. Nothing less will do.