Going Against the Flow

 

I remember taking a canoe out on the river a few times when I was younger.  It was easy when you were going along with the current – in fact, much of the time you didn’t even need to work at paddling. In contrast, when you wanted to go back upstream for something, it took a great deal of effort to make progress against the prevailing current.

 

We are surrounded by a society where the prevailing current is heading away from God. We need to make an effort just to maintain our position. If we are passive about our faith, we will be carried along by the current, farther and farther away from where we need to be.

 

We should be careful not to accept church attendance alone as being sufficient in the current age. Some of the harshest words in the book of Revelation were directed to the church in Laodicea which had become indifferent and self-satisfied. “Because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Rev 3:16). We need to be willing to take a stand for God and for His values, even if it causes some opposition. We should strive to be loving and not judgmental, letting the Spirit guide us in what we say and do.  As Paul writes, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col 4:5-6).

 

Know that God will always be with you no matter what difficulties or opposition you may face. Jesus told us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).