We need to decide what kind of world we want to live in, and what kind of a world we want our children to inherit.
The choice has never been more clear. Do we want a world where we can never move beyond our mistakes, where once we’ve fallen we can never recover? A world that rummages through our past, no matter how long ago and what has happened since, in order to discover something now considered a “sin” so it can be used to discredit us forever? Is this the world we want for ourselves and our children?
Or would we rather live in a world that knows forgiveness, permits restoration and offers grace? Which world will we choose?
“He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” These were the words of Jesus to the Pharisees of his day. But our modern “Pharisees” only define sin in terms of what others do. They only recognize their own authority, and in doing so they become authorities unto themselves. The Constitution that has been America’s written governing authority for nearly all of our history, is now being swept aside and replaced because it constrains the desires of a privileged few who claim to be on the right side of history. Their claims, though, are false, and either expose ignorance of actual history or their fear that historical knowledge is a threat to their goal of erasing and re-writing it.
When anyone in a position of authority is not under authority themselves, there is no accountability. Until very recently America’s ultimate authority was our Judeo-Christian heritage as reflected in the Declaration and Constitution. If these defined and limited authorities are now to be abandoned they will be replaced by an unlimited power exercised by a small number of privileged authoritarians. Are we prepared to forsake our proven and time-tested authorities, for the certain uncertainties of authoritarianism?
Increasingly our founding documents are dismissed as ancient nuisances rather than timeless wisdom. Our freedom of speech, our freedom to worship and assemble, and our freedom to be governed by the rule of law that is applied equally to all – these freedoms are now in danger of extinction.
Values have consequences and we are now witnessing the consequences of values unchecked by any objective authority. We need to ask ourselves – how’s that working for us? America has never been perfect, and never will be, but America has reversed many wrongs since its founding and was on course for righting many more. It was once a place where atonement for sin made a difference, and allowance to forgive, redeem and restore was possible. In America it was never too late to be better.
So now we must choose: What will our future be? Tyranny or freedom? Cancelation or restoration? Division or unity? What future will we bequeath our children?
Values have consequences. Which consequences will we leave to the generations that follow?
