It's going to take more than a safety pin....

“It was the most respectful, benign form of bullying ever. But bullying nonetheless. And by the way, human rights must be won, not asked for. When artists perform the venue becomes your home. The audience are your guests. It’s taking unfair advantage of someone who thought they were a protected guest in your home.”  Steven Van Zandt

  Sometimes it’s not what you say, it’s when you say it. For example, it’s completely appropriate if my wife, Jane, talks to me privately about something she disagrees with that I said. But for Jane to speak out in the middle of a sermon, questioning my theology in public is totally inappropriate. Civilized people all know this. Until our culture devolved over the last few decades, losing a sense of common civility, this wasn’t debatable. That it’s now a point of debate says something sad about us.  

  Please understand, this is not political. It’s a question of bullying. Bullying is always wrong. For example, it was wrong in 2012 when a Congressional staffer bullied the daughters of President Obama in a Facebook post that they were dressed and acting like “teens” (because they were teens) at the annual White House turkey pardon. I applauded when that staffer resigned. If she hadn’t, she should have been terminated.  

  Civilized people know some things are just off limits, like a leader’s children. There are also inappropriate places. The recent calling out of Vice President elect, Mike Pence, by the cast of Hamilton at the end of the play, for me, was one of those places. As he entered the Broadway show, some audience members began booing. Not a big surprise, after all, it was New York City. Mr. Pence showed both class and character. Later he shared, “I nudged my kids and reminded them that is what freedom sounds like.”

  Yet, Brandon Dixon and the cast of Hamilton were grandstanding, adding nothing to the national conversation. When Dixon encouraged the audience to record his comments and tweet them, he tipped his hand. It had nothing to do with opening a dialogue. Couldn’t he have sent a note to Mr. Pence, asking if some of the cast could meet with him backstage after the show? He further divided our already fragmented country, shutting down further conversation. What are the chances of Mr. Pence attending a Broadway show in the future with an opportunity to engage with those he disagreed with? Our political leaders are already far too insulated and isolated from their constituency. Who can blame them when situations like this happen?

  Sadly, bullying will only increase as our culture becomes more and more inhumane. Safe spaces and safety pins may make us feel better but will make little difference. It didn’t help Mike Pence. Surely, some members of the audience were wearing safety pins, yet no one came to his defense.

  Being a Christian means we’re to be like Jesus. Our Lord consistently stood up to bullies and so must we. It’s our God-given duty. We must stand up, not only for those with whom we agree, but for anyone being dehumanized. That would include someone disabled, elderly, an immigrant or minority, a child, someone overweight or gay, a nerd…even an elected official. Jesus went out of His way to minister to the disenfranchised and so must we. We must also model and teach this to our children.

  It will take magnanimity. What is magnanimity? It’s a “loftiness of spirit enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness, and to display a noble generosity.” It’s how Mike Pence responded. While there’s a time to fight, it’s rare. This was not one of those times. Sadly, Mr. Trump, with his angry tweets afterwards, didn’t follow Mr. Pence’s wise example. As believers, we are, as much as possible, to turn the other cheek. We must seek to lower the emotional temperature, minimize our own offendedness, even praising what we can in those who oppose us.

  It will take character. It takes nothing to go along with the crowd or in some cases, the mob. It takes character to stand alone. Peruse the pages of Scripture and you’ll find this trait over and over again. Nearly every person God used came to a critical juncture where he or she had to stand alone. It’s how Joseph resisted the wiles of Mrs. Potiphar in an eroticized culture. It’s how Queen Esther approached the King, even though it might have cost her her life. Character is what Martin Luther had when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door at Wittenberg. It’s what William Wilberforce had as he swam against the tide committed to eradicating slavery.

  It will take courage. Most will either go along or stand by in silent fear, even when a great evil is being done. It takes courage for a teen to stand up for the teenager who’s odd, as others mock the victim. It takes courage to vote your conscience, even if you’re the only one. It takes courage to say some things are wrong, even if everyone else goes along, pressuring you to do the same. It takes courage to stand for what is right even if you’re accused of being a bigot or on the wrong side of history. Courage is what it took for Rosa Parks to stay seated on December 1, 1955 on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, refusing to give up her seat just because she was black in the colored section to a white passenger, after the white section was filled.

  It will take risk. Standing up to bullies isn’t popular. Bullies often are cowards, yet have the backing of the crowd. Standing up to them may cost you your job. Sadly, many bullies make it to the executive suites or top management positions and won’t tolerate someone standing up to them. Scripture cautions us to “count the cost.” Standing up to a bully can even cost you your life. History’s pages are soaked with the blood of godly men and women whose stand was their last one. John the Baptist lost his head for standing up to King Herod. Because of his staunch resistance to Hitler, including vocal opposition to the Nazi euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews, Dietrich Bonhoeffer paid with his life.

  In our post-Christian age bullying will increase. Sometimes it may even hide under the guise of Christianity. Martin Luther experienced religious bullying, wisely observing “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.” May the words of Joshua 1:9 echo in our hearts, strengthening our resolve, “Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.