At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Luke 13:31-32
What do you do with someone you believe to be a fox? I am talking about Christians that speak about Jesus and their desire to follow him--Christians that go to church and may even share the gospel with others but who commit glaring evils.
I think about the Christians who owned slaves in the South and thought nothing of having slaves or of mistreating their slaves but who would also try to convert their slaves to Jesus.
I am thinking of supervisors who claim to follow Jesus but badly mistreat their workers. They think nothing of ruling with an iron-fist and of hiding or twisting the truth when it comes to their jobs.
I think of the Christians who (as the story is told in one of Erwin Lutzer's books, Hitler and the Cross) heard the cattle cars passing behind their church and the desperate screams of Jewish people and others who were being carted off to slaughter, on their way to the death camps. These Christians in the little church would just sing louder when they heard the train whistle and the screams every Sunday morning. They tried to drown out the screams and the cries of their consciences by singing hymns.
I know all of us are a mix of good and evil. Sometimes we, like Peter, function like Satan and compel Jesus to rebuke us with "Get behind me Satan."
But what do we do when other professing believers commit injustices and salient wrongs --wreaking all sorts of havoc? Yes, we pray. But when do we speak up? When do we take action?
There are believers that are acting like foxes. They may be blind to their behavior or they may be maliciously intentional. I've met a few people I'd call foxes while also wondering if they're brothers and sisters.
At the same time, I must be careful that I myself am not blind to the planks in my own eyes. But what if the plank in their eyes are sticking so far out that every time they turn to the left or the right they take out a bunch of people?
I would love to hear your thoughts. I am truly seeking wisdom in this matter; and I know, our responses may depend on the particularities each situation. But if you have insights, please let me know!
What do you do with someone you believe to be a fox? I am talking about Christians that speak about Jesus and their desire to follow him--Christians that go to church and may even share the gospel with others but who commit glaring evils.
I think about the Christians who owned slaves in the South and thought nothing of having slaves or of mistreating their slaves but who would also try to convert their slaves to Jesus.
I am thinking of supervisors who claim to follow Jesus but badly mistreat their workers. They think nothing of ruling with an iron-fist and of hiding or twisting the truth when it comes to their jobs.
I think of the Christians who (as the story is told in one of Erwin Lutzer's books, Hitler and the Cross) heard the cattle cars passing behind their church and the desperate screams of Jewish people and others who were being carted off to slaughter, on their way to the death camps. These Christians in the little church would just sing louder when they heard the train whistle and the screams every Sunday morning. They tried to drown out the screams and the cries of their consciences by singing hymns.
I know all of us are a mix of good and evil. Sometimes we, like Peter, function like Satan and compel Jesus to rebuke us with "Get behind me Satan."
But what do we do when other professing believers commit injustices and salient wrongs --wreaking all sorts of havoc? Yes, we pray. But when do we speak up? When do we take action?
There are believers that are acting like foxes. They may be blind to their behavior or they may be maliciously intentional. I've met a few people I'd call foxes while also wondering if they're brothers and sisters.
At the same time, I must be careful that I myself am not blind to the planks in my own eyes. But what if the plank in their eyes are sticking so far out that every time they turn to the left or the right they take out a bunch of people?
I would love to hear your thoughts. I am truly seeking wisdom in this matter; and I know, our responses may depend on the particularities each situation. But if you have insights, please let me know!
