Restrooms and Revivals
Husband Jerry and I were walking on the rail to trail along the West Fork River while our son rode ahead on his bike. We talked about our days and as usual slowly slid into current events. “I’m still going to Target,” I stated to his opposite opinion. “Jesus would go to Target.” We weren’t arguing. We just sometimes land on the opposite side of opinion and that’s okay. I have my reasons. Target is not the church,nor does it claim to be. It is not bound by Christian doctrine. I don’t condone their decision. If I were asked to vote as to whether their should be transgender bathroom, I would vote ‘no’. I am not. I cannot. What I do have is the power of the gospel at my disposal in this post- Christian nation. This is not a bathroom issue. This is an issue of the pulse of our nation. The transgender issue is a symptom of sadness, brokenness and how far our nation has fallen from its heritage.
I scroll through Facebook and see dozens of heated arguments about transgender bathrooms and boycotting Target. Jesus didn’t boycott or call non believers to maintain the doctrine He prescribed. And as far as those who wish to keep the law, Jesus said…
35 And one of their number, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him.
36 Teacher, which [e]kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light—which are heavy?]
37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).(C)
38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.(D)
40 These two commandments [f]sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.- Matthew 22
We cannot love people to Christ or share the Gospel by jumping up and down and screaming about our rights as a Christians. We can share the power of the Gospel by loving regardless. I’m not saying go to Target and wait in the bathroom for a transgender and hug him. Don’t go to Target if you don’t feel comfortable. Don’t use the bathroom if you choose to go and don’t like the bathroom policy.
“…we welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.”- Target
Making lots of noise about this decision by Target is like trying to stop an avalanche that started in the sixties when the 1966 Good Friday cover of Time asked, “Is God Dead?” with a stretched out piece of saran wrap. It won’t work. It is like wormwood. It touted the ‘new atheism’ and was followed by Roe v. Wade in 1973 and preceded by the 1962 decision to remove prayer from public school. We have been placidly swallowing it for some years and now it tastes sweet instead of bitter. We can’t go back to our Christian roots by anger over a bathroom. We can by prayer, humbleness, repentance and a true love for those hurting confused souls like ourselves.
If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.- 2 Chronicles 7:14
If we truly are his people, we will humble ourselves, pray, seek, crave and require of necessity His face. We will turn from our wicked ways. We won’t require non believers to change their ways to suit our religion. We will preach the Gospel that says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. We should tell them that before the foundation of the world, they were chosen to be part of His eternal family if they accept Him. They have been pre-approved. Jesus will clean the fish. That is not our job.
Meanwhile, right here in WV, there has been a spiritual awakening in Mingo county, the town of Williamson, the ‘heart of the billion dollar coal fields’ intersect the restroom debate. They both speak of need. Coal mines close. People are struggling. A visiting Hilary Clinton is called on the carpet for her comment, “we’re going to put a lot of coal miners out of work.” Teens are not getting real answers. Transgenders struggle with identity. They seek acceptance to meet that most basic human need- love, connection, attachment. The teens are answered with an outpouring of God’s love. The restroom debate needs another answer.The spiritual vacuum is the same.
“It’s a climactic time,” he said. “I think the many years of creating a spiritual vacuum inside of kids by not teaching them the true reality that there’s a destiny in God—time plus chance, plus matter—has produced a vacuum on the inside.”- Pastor Mitch Bias of the regional Church of God in Delbarton
We cannot remove spiritual limbo by fighting the results of spiritual decline, but by repentance, prayer and sharing the true Gospel.
Linking up with Kristin Hill Taylor for Three Word Wednesday. Join us!