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THE BLESSINGS OF CANCEL CULTURE

      A few years back, a Pastor whom I knew had made a statement—which has since become a favorite of mine—attributed to him.  His statement?  “Sometimes, you have to let folk DIE!”  In other words, you can warn people, advise people, and hold the hands of people to keep them from doing low down and dirty things.  However, people will make their own choices—often against the wisdom of others around them.  No matter how much it may hurt you, we must allow people to make their OWN decisions—no matter how destructive the outcome may be.

      Even IF that outcome results in their death.

      We have all heard about cancel culture.  Many of us who stand on the side of righteousness and hold up the blood-stained banner of Jesus Christ have been canceled by the those who want to be left to their own devices of wickedness.  I recently heard of an instance whereby a Pastor made some supportive comments on social media for something that a woman found objectionable.  This woman stirred up such a fuss with the local powers that be that the Pastor and his church were kicked out of public ministry where he was helping the poor, and others in his city.  All those resources and opportunities to witness, share Christ, and care for those in need were literally gone, overnight, because someone ‘cancelled’ him and the ministry of his church.

      Pastor John Hagee also made a statement years ago that I have not forgotten: “You can’t be blessed with a better job until you LOSE the one you have.”  The long and short of this statement is that sometimes one gets complacent and must be ‘moved’ by God’s timetable onward to the next assignment He has in store for us.  Of course, many of us prefer the ‘comfortable’ to the ‘unknown’.  Change is painful…but necessary for us to be all that we can be.

      Yes, it hurts to be cancelled.  However, the Christian shall not die if people don’t ‘like’ us, nor ‘like’ our service to others in our sin-sick society.  Those who get their kicks from attempting to eliminate others from their sight will—one day—regret their actions…NOT to mention the fact that they will have to explain to those whom WE have helped how THEY are going to have to spend their OWN time, talent, and treasure to REPLACE what we have contributed to the betterment of society.

      Let me provide my own example.  Before I retired, I ran a nationally known anti-gang ministry that dealt with the spiritual roots of gang life as well as the social symptoms.  There were a lot of worldly—and even Christian Churches and Ministries—that ‘cancelled’ my ministry because of my stand of putting Christ first as THE solution to get to the root of gang life rather than ‘relying’ on millions of dollars of available grant money to keep many young people IN the problem, rather than the Christian solution.

      Baby, I know what it’s like to be a Christian and/or have a Christian Ministry and be cancelled—even by my own family AND some in my race.  Those who stand for the Lord MUST realize this will happen, and not be shocked when it does.  Nevertheless, with each door slam, the Lord not only opened another door—He BUILT a new opportunity that I never would have realized had I not been ‘rejected’ by some of the wicked—and some of the righteous.  Of course, those who rejected or ‘cancelled’ me were stuck with the problem and needless spending of resources.

      The ‘true’ name for cancel culture is rejection.  Jesus was rejected and look how He turned out. Amen! Many of the New Testament Apostles were rejected!  They shook the dust off their feet against those who ‘cancelled’ them and moved on to another ministry opportunity—to those who were WILLING to hear the Good News and live in the commands of and obedience to the Scriptures.

      Thanks to Pastor David Jeremiah’s series: “Where Do We Go From Here?”, plus some other observations—and living of life--I have come up with at least three blessings that the Christian—and Christian ministries—can experience from Cancel Culture:

• Being Cancelled Means Christian Ministries Can Redistribute Their Resources & Service.  Think about this:  IF your church is kicked out of working with the poor and needy in a particular venue; Guess What?  You can move on to other areas and have your ministry bless others!  The Christian is to be a pilgrim, stranger, and soldier.  Christian Ministry should be MOBILE—meaning able to ‘bug out’ and move to another opportunity.  Sometimes, being kicked out—or cancelled—by the wicked is akin to an Eaglet being kicked out of a comfortable nest.  You must learn to fly for the Lord by flying—not just by talking!  He alone is the one to sustain your efforts.  Sure, it’s gonna sting for a while…but in the long run, you will be able to bless others.

•  Being Cancelled Means—as a Christian—You Can Move On To New People. If one group of people don’t want you around, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and head off to meet new people who, a) need to hear the Gospel, and; b) need to see what a REAL Christian looks like in thought, action and deed.  As to old saying goes: “Many never read the Bible nor go to Church—but they can read Christians!”  Talk about NEW evangelism and service opportunities!

• Lastly, Being Cancelled Means That Christians Can Watch The Floorshow Of Destruction After They Are Shown The Door. The grim reality is that once you put the lights out, there is nothing but darkness.  If you are familiar with Bible Prophecy (which I do write about and teach on occasion) there is nothing sadder—but confirming—when people whom you have served—and have cancelled or rejected you—get humbled by their OWN decision to push you out of the way.  When husbands were kicked out of the home by hard-headed ‘liberated’ women, the divorce rates went up and the fertility rates went down.  When prayer and Christian organizations and Christian teachers were pushed out of the public schools, the ‘Alphabet Mafia’ swept in to fill the vacuum.  You get my point.

      Take heart my friends.  Rejection is not forever.  Cancel Culture never lasts long.  They may knock on the door of your life from time to time, but this comes with living life.  Ezekiel 33 (KJV) spells out that believers have a duty to warn those about their need for God, and their need to turn away from unrighteousness.  IF they reject what you are bringing them; IF you are cancelled, you have done your job and move on!  Shake the dust off your feet, pick up your next assignment at the window from the Lord, and move on to those who have a desire for what you have to offer.  Folks, you can’t ‘force’ people to like your service or your ministry.  Walk in the blessing—not in the shadow that the enemy wants to cast upon you!

      Mike Ramey is a Retired Minister, KJV Bible Teacher, syndicated columnist and Bible Prophecy Specialist who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.  “The Quick Scan” is one of a variety of his columns appearing and abounding in print and cyberspace, written from a biblical, business, and common-sense perspective since 1996.  To drop him a line—or a whine—the address is still the same: mgmikeramey@yahoo.com.  ©2023 Barnstorm Communications International.