Let's face it, humanity has never been wonderful at forgiveness. We're much better at revenge, slander, shunning, and storing up animosity. The recent fad known as "cancel culture" is the latest rendition of this ancient proclivity. The modern act of canceling someone attempts to pile on public shame while removing any possibility of forgiveness. Pleas of repentance will fall on deaf ears.
Cancel culture's impact has been far and wide--from middle school students to A-list celebrities, from C-suite executives to university professors. The threat of cancelation is palpable, creating anxiety around cultural hot topics and exhaustion from frequently walking on eggshells. What are some things we can do?
Don't fall for cancel culture's lie that you (or anyone) are unworthy of forgiveness or beyond redemption
Find rest in Jesus's promise that all your sins, guilt, and shame were nailed to the cross--never to be remembered by God again.
Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16). It may not be wise to share your view in every setting. If the situation is heated, others may not have ears to hear your perspective. It may be best to meet up later when the temperature has cooled. If you're feeling outnumbered, it may be best to meet individually.
If we've done wrong, we can confess. Confessing is liberating. The evil one hates it when we admit our wrongdoing. He'd much rather lord it over us.
One of the reasons cancel culture can be so scary is that we care deeply about our reputations, our careers, and our deep-seeded notions of justice and fairness. These are all good things worth fighting for. But in the end, Jesus is the one we turn to. He's the one who will end up canceling our guilt, our shame, our pride, and our failures. He cancels all the things that bring about death and destruction. In that sense, Jesus is the ultimate canceler.
- Brian Causey - Teleios Board Member
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