On Speaking Up

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” – James 1:19

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” – Proverbs 18:2

I was reflecting earlier on the two verses above.  Mimicking a few of my son’s bath toys in the water, these verses floated around in my mind and kept bumping into my continued struggles with social media. It isn’t that I don’t value social media – I’m on Facebook and Twitter, and I try to engage regularly.  But I’m finding it more and more stressful to do so. I wonder why this is? 

Pressure

First, by definition, a social media (SM) presence comes with a lot of pressure.  You don’t interact in person with a lot of the people you interact with on SM, so your SM presence is the only way many people know you. Further, and perhaps more significantly, SM has become our manmade opinion factory.   Online communication platforms have created a global “town square,” where one can express their opinion about any issue they see societally or culturally.   And they do express those opinions indeed.  One can publish material without having earned a hearing with multitudes, which was not the experience of my parent’s generation. 

Christians have led the way in opinion sharing.  On Twitter, I follow left-leaning Christians, right-leaning Christians, and people everywhere in between.  Everyone has something to say about everything.  The thing that amazes me is how quick everyone is to understandthings that happen.  Maybe I’m just not that smart (and probably so), but I hear about the President’s latest comments, the latest police shooting, or the latest interaction between global diplomats, and I need a few minutes to think about it. But once those few minutes are up, I’m “late on this” (to borrow a phrase which people frequently use online). 

I believe that our opinions are driven by our beliefs and our presuppositions – that is, your grid of discernment is made up of whatever you assume about people, persons, ethics, morals, etc.  Therefore opinions are products of the collision between news and your grid. Therefore, I have opinions.  But since I assume that there are complexities about people, politics, and culture (NOT nuance– I hate that concept), it’s hard for me to process things as quick as most online appear to.

Slow to speak? 

Now I wouldn’t ask people to slow down just so I could catch up.  But this whole issue makes me wonder something.  Should Christians be as quick to speak up about everything they perceive to be wrong (or right) as they often are?  When you look at the verses quoted above, you find James making his point about being slow to speak only after saying, “Know this…”  In Greek, the phrase is actually one word: hoste, which is a conjunction that means “so that.”  This means that the point in the verse is the effect of the point in the previous verse.  And the previous verse gives a statement about our being brought forth (born again) by God’s Word of truth, that we’d be the “firstfruits” (that is, God’s beloved) of his creatures (1:18).  So Christians are the beloved of the Lord, born again from above, and this is supposed to have the effect of their having three characteristics: 

1. Quick to hear– they don’t need to lead a conversation, though they may like to, and they may have the words that need said.  But they’re willing to let others speak first.

2. Slow to speak– they don’t need to jump to giving their opinion on everything that they hear; rather, they understand, knowing that Biblical truth is simple and yet the purposes of peoples’ hearts are “deep water” (Proverbs 20:5), that if they come in like a bulldozer they’ll do damage. But if they wait patiently they’ll be able to bring the life-giving Word once the person on the other side of the table knows they’re cared for and loved.   Thus the Christian is slow to speak.

3. Slow to anger– they’re not easily flustered, because they “let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts” (Col. 3:15), which is a peace that only Jesus gives (Jn. 14:27).   It isn’t that they don’t have slip-ups (come sit in the passenger seat while I’m driving in traffic).  But these slip-ups are slip-ups; not the norm. They’re ruled by peace, because Jesus is the Prince of peace.

The Need to Speak Up

I understand that unless people “speak up,” injustices aren’t addressed, truth often falls through the cracks in favor of fickle opinions, and necessary change never materializes.  I’m giving my opinion right now!   But I’m concerned about what appears to me to be Christians’ reversal of the Biblical mandate above:  We’ve become slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger, expressing our immature thoughts and opinions every time there’s an opportunity.  According to James, believers are those anchored in their rebirth by Christ’s Word, and this apparently is to have the effect of our being patient with speaking into complex issues.  

Theology Drives Practice

Years ago I left behind a theological tradition which I felt, based on both theory and experience, naturally led the adherent thereof to feel a need to share their opinion every time they sensed something wrong.  Since Scripture unequivocally says that a fallen world is full of things that are wrong, this seemed theologically and sociologically immature to me.*  So I entered into the historic evangelical stream with a Reformed bent, amazed at the exegetical nature of the teachers therein and the patience of the believers therein toward social issues.

But what I’ve seen in recent years grieves me:  There is now a sense within this stream, both from left-leaning believers and right-leaning believers**, of a responsibility to speak up about everything that is perceived wrong.  Bonhoeffer is often quoted as an authority in speaking up about “injustices”; yet people forget that Bonhoeffer also held to some questionable views of the Scriptures.*** Is his legend (Don’t mishear me - I love Bonhoeffer) make his an authoritative position?  People say, “Well Paul spoke up all the time!”  Yes, but how often, and how quickly?  How do we know that every issue that came up in Paul’s ministry was recorded in Scripture?  

Overcoming By the Blood of the Lamb

The book of Revelation is written with the intent of encouraging Christians that while they go through much trouble in this world, their Lord is in control, and He’ll win every spiritual battle along the way, until he wins the final battle and brings His people into the New Heavens and the New Earth.  The “tribulation” that keeps coming up throughout is referring to the difficult experience of living in a fallen world in the present day. This "take" on Revelation, an admittedly unpopular one, seems proven by John’s saying that he is Christians’ “partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Christ Jesus” (1:9)****.  But how do Christians respond to the troubles of life – whether personal or social? : “By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (12:11; see also 12:17, 14:12, and 19:10 - it’s all about the power of the Word holding the Christian in the midst of trouble).  They don’t overcome problems in life by speaking their opinion or giving their two-cents; they overcome by holding to Christ, keeping faith in the Gospel, and bring that Gospel to bear often. 

Are we adorned by the Gospel, bringing the basic Biblical message of repentance and faith in Christ and reconciliation with God through Him to bear on our friends in this life? I’m not asking you to stop speaking up. I’m asking you pray first, and see what would keep your responses in step with the Gospel.  I’m convinced that if we commit to this together, we’ll give a more faithful light.  

Let’s follow Jesus together. 

*For the record, I’ve left behind a couple of theological traditions in my journey.  What I say above is not meant to be an insult to anyone therein, or to said traditions.  The Lord has people in every theological tradition.  This has just been my journey, based on my reading of the Scriptures, finding what Christian tradition seems to fit most closely with the Scriptures.  

**For the record, I’m a right-leaning believer, believing that no Christian in their right mind could ever vote for a candidate of a political party which has legal abortion as part of its platform.  I’m sorry if this turns you off, but I’d be more sorry if I held to the opposite opinion. 

***See his treatment of Christ’s resurrection in Matthew 28, in his little book Christ as Center, p.72ff.  Christ as Center is a collection of lectures on Christology from during his teaching days.   See also https://reformedforum.org/will-real-bonhoeffer-please-stand-part-5/ , where Dr. Jeff Stivason shows some of the difficulties of Bonhoeffer’s sometimes contradictory positions, including his issues with the resurrection in the new edition of Christ as Center, entitled Christ the Center.  

****It seems that all three of these phrases are taken together, thus as the Christian's simultaneous experience.