In Thee O Lord do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion. Psalms 71:1
When God calls you to a higher purpose, nothing can stop what He has set in motion. Isaiah 14:27
It is pretty commonplace for us to get an offer either by email, letter, or phone offering new or updated services for our phones, television, cars, appliances, etc. that contain the words, if for any reason, you don’t like the service, you can cancel it at any time! Usually, as a bonus, we have ninety days to make up our mind. That’s really a contrived ploy because who can remember to cancel after ninety days??
There are many times when the option to cancel it is advantageous such as a credit card we don’t need, a purchase we ordered that is superfluous, or maybe even a reservation that we are unable to fulfill. When the ability to cancel it is used for necessary purposes, we are glad to have that option. When canceling it isn’t hurting anyone, there’s no problem, but what if it is harmful to others?
There is a cancel it phenomenon or “cancel culture” as it is called today that is sweeping through our nation, our communities, and our lives. This new mindset demands that someone who says or does something that someone else might find offensive, must be silenced or totally cut off. It could be anything that doesn’t adhere to the opinions of others. This kind of cancelling has resulted in people losing their jobs, their careers, their reputation, and it can even result in threats.
Our governing bodies, our schools, and even our churches are cancelling the history upon which they were built, all because those things might be offensive to those in this day and time. Once we change our history, can we ever reclaim the things that made us the people we are today? Do we get a refund on the sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears that was poured into the establishment of these things?
We have seen canceling recently in the lives of politicians, nominees for the Supreme Court, comic strips, and even Dr. Seuss has been a victim. All this because someone got offended! This is not to say that there aren’t things which should be cancelled, but this new culture seems driven by a kind of self righteous behavior on the part of many, and it is very scary.
The world is quick to cancel people, their beliefs, and their thoughts these days, but even though it seems a new fad, this desire to destroy others is as old as mankind. We only have to look back in the Bible where Cain cancelled Abel, where Joseph’s brothers tried to cancel him, where Jezebel attempted to cancel Elijah, and on and on throughout the history of the Bible to see it.
Jesus probably faced the cancel culture more than anyone else. It was this kind of culture that hated Him so much that they eventually crucified Him. When He was nailed to the cross this same culture rejoiced, and the soldiers gambled at the foot of His cross for his garments. This was thousands of years ago, but it is happening among us today. It leads us to wonder what will happen to a culture who cancels Jesus in their lives? In this cancel culture, it seems that when people make a decision to cancel someone or something, it is cancelled for life and never considered again.
Jesus, on the other hand, surrounded himself with people who had been cancelled in that day and called them friends. He had a tax collector, a betrayer, a prostitute, and a thief in his circle of friends. He was never willing to cancel even the baddest of the bad, the worst of the worst, or the most evil of the evil. He even went so far as to give his life to cancel sin so that we all might be forever forgiven.
The story is told of an older woman who lived in a small town. Everyone there called her Crazy because she was known to walk around town talking to herself. She even believed she could talk to Jesus. A new minister moved into town and upon encountering her on the street asked, “Would you do me a favor and ask Jesus what was the last sin I confessed to Him?” “Certainly,” the woman replied. The next day the minister saw her again and asked, “Well, what did Jesus say?” The older woman replied, “Jesus said He doesn’t remember.”
Cancelling sin is only one of the many things Jesus has done for us. In this cancel culture, we would do well to remember His example.
All my debts – cancelled; Satan’s threats – cancelled; Sin’s effects – cancelled; For the ransom was paid. Lyrics to Cancelled Worthy by the Gaither Brothers
Well said Diane.