Be the Wheat

We hear so much palaver about social justice. Companies and individuals and educational institutions fall over themselves to convince us that they are on the social justice bandwagon. I am an admissions volunteer for my alma mater, and I was appalled at the “training” session they forced us to endure last year. It was three hours of monotonous, poorly-presented schlock about equity and inclusion and diversity, blah, blah, blah. Completely pointless. If anyone in that virtual seminar suddenly discovered a burning desire to be a social justice crusader, I’ll eat my letter jacket.

This kind of stuff is happening all over. Let me just confirm one thing: as “good” as “they” try to make it sound, "social justice" is not a biblical concept. At its core, it is a subversive ideology that pits one group against another, demanding that those who have must surrender their resources to those who do not have. Under social justice, the government becomes the enforcer of equal opportunity (not necessarily equal qualification) and equal outcome (not necessarily equal effort). Redistribution of wealth is the means. To some this looks like “fairness”, but if you look closely, you see Marxism, which is, among other dreadful things, atheistic – not something Christians should be espousing. While the Bible teaches that every person is of equal value in God’s sight, and calls for us to help those in need, the Bible does not condone either idleness or theft. “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) is pretty clear, as is “Thou shalt not steal”, one of the Big Ten, of course. (For more on the dangers of idleness, read Proverbs.)

It isn’t just the social justice babble that’s troubling. There are other unbiblical ideologies, or narratives, or belief systems that are getting front row seats in our culture in a way that most of us never expected could happen in America. Our submission to these lies, or our refusal to stand vigorously against them in our churches and businesses, and at the ballot box, is what has led to the kind of authoritarian overstepping that we saw this week.

Here is what makes me really angry: While we, the regular folks, are trying to navigate mandates, group think, consensus science, inflation, and international disgrace, the “elite” get together for birthday parties, swanky lunches, and political fundraisers, blithely breaking the rules we’re expected to follow, "or else". Oh, but it’s okay that they weren’t wearing masks, because they are “sophisticated”, “educated” people. The rest of us must be as dumb as posts. Or sheep. If you or I say something harsh about what’s going on, we get cancelled. (I watched an Instagram post disappear before my eyes today – probably because it suggested that jab mandates might just be unconstitutional.) On the other hand, the elite can slander, screech, shout, and lie with impunity.

What is going on now has nothing to do with equality and everything to do with power. They don’t care about equality, or justice. In fact, you won’t hear the political or media elites mentioning the word “equality”. It’s “equity” they want, which is neither equal nor fair, because they decide who benefits. If you are a patriot, a person of faith, an independent thinker, or an honest medical or technical practitioner, believe me, you are literally “deplorable” in their sight, a threat. Our own Homeland Security folks seem to believe that if you are any of those things, you are more of a problem for America than the Taliban.

So, you can follow these elites, who always eat their own, by the way, or you can “be the Wheat,” who feed their own – and those in need.

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells His disciples a number of agricultural parables, to teach them about the Kingdom of God. In verse 24, He tells “The Parable of the Weeds”, in which a farmer (Jesus) sows “good seed” in his field. Unfortunately, an enemy (Satan) sneaks in at night and drops some kudzu seeds or something weedy in among the wheat. When the plants sprout, the owner’s servants ask if they should pull the weeds, but He says “No, because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” As Jesus explains to His disciples a few verses later, this is a parable about “the end of the age”, and he’s clear that there will be a time of judgement:

As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear. Let him hear. (Matthew 13:40-43, NIV)

There is indeed justice, and God will administer it in His good time. Meanwhile, we pray for our enemies, that they might turn to God, and we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are already suffering for their faith. We examine our own hearts and pray that God will forgive us for our own unbelief. We pray for our country, our churches, and our families. Come, Lord Jesus.

Stand strong in faith. Trust Jesus. Be the Wheat.

Standing with you,

Carolyn

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