Proverbs 9:9 Instruct a wise person and he will become wiser. Teach a righteous person and she will add to her understanding.
In the 70s and early 80s there were a number of hot topics confronting society and churches. Many church leaders had theological knowledge but lacked the wisdom to apply it to the times. They often responded to the sexual identity issues of that time with condemnation. This lack of compassion eventually created a backlash: loss of respect and authority. During that time I realized that so many of my friends were broken and hungry for something good. It was a complex time, and navigating the waters of discussion required wisdom. As I listened and tried to respond in love, many friends began to reconsider their life choices or to simply respect my opinions. However, as I attempted to talk to church leaders about a compassionate, biblical response to the world, my assistance was rejected. I found an open door for discussion in the world, but not with church leaders. Many of those pastors simply wanted to teach but had become unteachable. Within a short period of time, the young generation of believers, ill-prepared to discuss the next set of hot topics with their non-Christians friends, bolted to the other side of the road. The new key word was tolerance. It was reasoned that compassion meant going along with the world. This path has proven to be as unwise and unbiblical as condemnation.
Jump ahead a few years to our current landscape. The anger, lack of compassion – even hatred – that I once experienced in church leaders is what I now see in many leaders of the “justice” movements and their followers, many who call themselves Christians. Years ago, church leaders were rightly criticized by the world for being arrogant. Now many Christians are following arrogant leaders who feel that their “just causes” give them the right to hate and condemn anyone who questions their tactics. Once again, rather than crying out to God and moving from wisdom to greater wisdom, many Christians are following the same broken example of hatred in the name of compassion and justice.
There is a huge need for wisdom in our world. However, what we see are families and friends refusing to speak together about the main issues of the day. We must step back from the friction to reconsider wisdom. The sign of true wisdom isn’t an arrogant heart, rather a teachable one. Wisdom isn’t defined by a stance on any topic; it is defined by how we engage one another, how we communicate and listen, and how, with humility, we remain teachable as we attempt to pass on the understanding we have. “Father, help me to desire a teachable spirit!”
