On Jan. 1st a word of the year hadn’t come to me yet. But by week 3 it hit me like a ton of bricks. And that word has been on our letter board since that day.
Resist
There has been an overwhelming amount of things to resist this year. But with resisting we also have to choose something else. Usually something better, something harder, even more holy.
Here is what that’s looked like for me personally…….
Resist hate. Choose love. Resist injustice. Choose justice for all. Resist racism. Choose diversity. Resist lies. Choose truth.Resist Christian Nationalism. Choose the way of Jesus. Resist corruption. Choose integrity. Resist turning away. Choose to see.
Resist bigotry. Choose inclusion. Resist complacency. Choose advocacy.
Resist silence. Choose to speak up. Resit being comfortable. Choose courage. Resist cruelty. Choose compassion. Resist dehumanizing others. Choose to see their humanity. Resit evil. Choose good. Resist fascism. Choose democracy. Resist hopelessness. Choose hope. Resist quitting. Choose rest.
These are easy to say and much harder to actually live out.
It’s easier to hate than to love. It’s easier to turn a blind eye than to see the pain and injustice. It’s easier to build a wall than a bigger table. It’s easier to see things only through your lens than the lens of someone who looks, acts, or lives differently than you do. It’s easier to stay in our silos than listen to others. It’s easier to stay silent and not rock the boat than to speak up, act courageously and do it without dehumanizing others. It’s easier to let your heart grow cold than stay soft and open to hurt. It’s hard to stay hopeful when each day is a new horror, a new setback, a new hate filled, corrupt news segment. It’s easier to quit than to rest and keep going.
It seems easier in the moment to choose the first option doesn’t it? But I guarantee in the long run it’s harder with much more detrimental, long lasting consequences, for you and the world. We must choose wisely.
This act of resisting and choosing is NOT easy work. It tests my faith in God and my faith in others daily. But I look around and I see millions of others resisting too. I read God’s Word and I see the way of Jesus and I know that he too was resting evil and choosing good and he said to go and do the same.
So here I am, resisting and choosing each day. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don’t.
What are you resisting and choosing this year?