Being Christian in the world today is becoming more challenging, Jesus said it would be, that those who are faithful disciples would be persecuted by the world. This is a world that thinks that everything is OK so long as you sincerely or some other vague, subjective, in terms of this is what I like, this is what I don’t like. There is very little in terms of critical thinking, it’s simply just a matter of do what you want, but don’t make me uncomfortable. Nothing really matters, everything is completely subjective and when you do make claims for Christianity you usually get snarky responses. I just saw a recent response that claimed that homosexuality and Christianity are compatible. The only thing that is not compatible with Christianity, according to the snarky sources, is not being “nice”. What the snarks seem to fail to grasp is that not everything is nice to everyone. Instead of just getting your knickers in a knot, start thinking and start making some stands on principle. At some point you are going to stop and think and realize how horribly wrong you’ve been and how horribly off course the world has gotten and then you will simply shrink in to despair. You will realize that you’ve let it get out of hand, people have really been hurt (and not just their little feelings) and you have to bear some responsibility. Start to really think about what’s being said and what’s really going on and quit taking the easy way out. Relying on other people’s uninformed and/or incorrect opinions is not a way to think, it’s an easy way to cop out.
I’ve finished highlighting Fr Frederick Nkwasibwe’s book Business Courage
Nkwasibwe finishes with a great summary which I will let speak for itself. Just one comment, we really have to come to terms with the fact that if we are faithful to our Lord, we will bump up against the society around us. That includes the place where we work. We aren’t called to be obnoxious about it, but we’re also not called to be a doormat. If you live in the York, Pa. area and are interested in buying the book, check out Irvin’s Books in West York 2159 White St.
Nkwasibwe summarizes his book: “It is also the courage where the leaders imbued with a spirit of trust, kindness and firmness regard followers adjoined by a diversity of duties as co-workers and friends but not ‘servants’ or slaves. It is the business courage where a mature-faith focused leader assents that his or her views may brand him or her unpopular with certain people, including friends, yet contends his/her voice ought to be gotten when a pro-truth, pro-dignity, pro-equality, and pro-uprightness situation calls for action. Significantly, it is the courage that rebuffs sin with its misery and it is a courage that is keen enough to allow the eyes of the hearts to be enlightened in order to know and love the spiritual truth present in other people. Business courage is that fortitude by which the leader employs a righteous and true friendship-service of authority-based leadership style to treat and relate with the followers as friends and to serve and lead in uncompromising virtue and stable holiness…” (pp 432-433)
So thanks Father, a great study on living out our life in Christ where we work, and how we interact with those around us in a decidedly non-Christian environment.
Wednesday at 10am, we meet to discuss Dr Gene Veith’s book dealing with the same theme. 140 W King St York, Pa. parking available in the back.