I Can Be Silent No More

“I said ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin, I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.’ I remained utterly silent, but my anguish increased while I meditated. The fire grew hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned within me, then I spoke…”  Psalm 39:1-3

Like icy cold water splashing upon my face awakening me from a deep sleep, it first hit me on March of 2020. My restaurant business was suddenly ordered by the state of Washington to close. It would be for “two weeks” they said. After five years my franchise restaurant was financially just hanging by a thread. January and February business, as usual for the winter, had been very slow. So, I was counting upon a robust spring and summer to bring us out of the financial hole we had fallen into. Then came Covid 19 and the state of Washington’s response to it.

Initially, most of us were believing and trusting this was temporary. We all just “went along to get along.” We dutifully put on our masks which soon became symbolic for the silencing and removal of freedoms that began happening all over America. We became divided. There were the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, those who trusted the government and those who didn’t. Those two weeks turned into months and months. Most of us complied- some happily, others resentfully. Businesses closed their doors. Many smaller businesses like mine closed for good. People chose to get an untested vaccination to keep their jobs, others refused and lost their jobs.

Then came the election of 2020 and the censorship and cancelling anyone who seriously doubted (with good reason) that it had been fair. None of this has never happened before in American history. The censorship continues to this day and so does the delusion with the partnership of the dishonest Media, Big Tech, “woke” corporations and a radical left “woke” federal government. Those who speak out now are accused of being “conspiracy theorists” or “conveyers of disinformation.” The last two years have been a national nightmare by any standard. The attacks on free speech, religious freedom, and what is true and decent, and against babies, children and families has been relentless.

And through it all the Evangelical Church, for the most part, has been silent for fear of being portrayed as too “political” and potentially losing its attendees. It seems like most pastors have become like the abused wife, keeping her mouth shut when evil is continually done to her. She pretends it isn’t happening, puts on a happy face and hopes she will avoid another blow from her increasingly tyrannical bully husband.

Shortly after moving in 2020 to Vero Beach, Florida, I met with two different Evangelical pastors at separate breakfast meetings. I wanted to express my concern to them about the governmental tyranny I had seen happen in our country in such a short period of time. I asked them both individually, shouldn’t Bible-believing churches be concerned? Shouldn’t we be speaking out about this? I expressed that we were living in an “unprecedented time” in our nation, possibly like the early 1930’s when Germany fell under the spell of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. History now reveals that the evils of the Nazis were allowed to take hold in their nation because of a largely silent, sleeping church.

Both answered me condescendingly, in my view, that “we are called to proclaim the gospel and not become entangled in politics.”  We need to “stay in our lane” they said with dogmatic conviction. “The worst it gets, the more opportunities there will be for the gospel” one of them told me as he saw the tragedy of what was happening at the southern border as “a great opportunity for evangelism.” What do I know? They were esteemed and confident clergy, and I was just a “garden variety” layman. But in the meantime, I have watched, prayed and the concerns I had at time have only grown.

Recently I reconnected with an old friend of mine who has an important ministry throughout the state of Washington, calling pastors to truly equip their flock for ministry in today’s culture (Ephesians 4:12) which will mean becoming  involved in the fight to be able to speak against the encroachment of the state upon the church to speak the truths of God’s word without censorship, for the protection against the assault against the unborn, children and youth in his state as part of the proclaiming of the gospel and confronting the culture’s slide into depravity. What makes my friend, so effective I believe, is his heart and ministry IS for evangelism. He can’t be dismissed as one who doesn’t care about the preaching the gospel of salvation to the unsaved.  God has used him greatly to challenge pastors in his state. Many pastors are, as the two pastors I talked to, are hardening their hearts but thankfully a remnant are repenting of their silence, of allowing themselves to be controlled by “the fear of people” (Proverbs 29:25) They are now joining the fight. Thank the Lord!

So, for me, I can be silent no more. I too am joining the fight. No turning back. I can keep complaining about “the silence of the evangelical church” or I can look within and repent of my own silence. I am under no delusion that this will not cost me. But I must seek to please the only One to whom I give an account. By God’s grace I will “counter the culture” that has made a god out of our own fickle feelings with the truth of God and His unchanging word. In 1774 Lewis Morris, a delegate to the Congress, was warned by others of the dire consequences he would face if he joined in signing The Declaration of Independence. His response to them is what I and a growing number of Christians now in America are saying in a time when tyranny, just like then, must be resisted, “Damn the consequences, give me the pen.”

Dear Lord, forgive us for our “fear of people.” Awaken more and more of us and embolden us to speak up as we ought. Let us fear and revere You more than we fear the rejection and slander of others, from those who don’t know You and especially those who claim to be know You. By Your grace from now help us to will live our lives for your glory, and for the good of our children and grandchildren. They desperately need us to stand up for them NOW. Let us live and speak to please You, the audience of One.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen