My recent posts garnered more feedback than any I have written thus far. I expected that, I wrote on Feminism it is the majority opinion and a sensitive subject for many, and saying anything against it is guaranteed to cause some pushback. I was, however, surprised with the overall tone of respect I received.

Too often people seem to use the internet as their proverbial toilet bowl to vomit every thought that enters their head, most of what you see on Facebook or blog comments is disrespectful and unintelligent. I didn’t see that at all in the feedback I received. And I am so very grateful. It almost gives me a little bit of hope for our culture. Almost, but I’m still a pessimist at heart.

It was refreshing to actually enter into some conversation about something important, I wish that was the norm.

My generation especially seems to shy away from debate, mostly because many people claim they’re debating, when their really just defensively shouting assertions and throwing words around like darts seeking to destroy and often their choice of topics are things of little to no consequence. Or on the flip-side, others assume that having a differing opinion is a sign of intolerance and debate is the biggest social taboo.

But I believe debate is crucial, and when done well and about topics that really do matter it can be valuable, especially for Christians. There are a lot of bad ideas floating around and it’s important that we lend our voices in defense of God’s design. But too often we are either cowards or we let our emotions tangle us up. We lose faith and start to do things by our own strength and think if we make a perfectly compelling, convincing argument it will certainly change minds and hearts!  Not so, because ultimately, we are not heart changers, only God is,  and when we try and do it by ourselves we can cause more destruction.

As I spent the past few days in a handful of back-and-forth debates with responders to my blog I found myself on my knees a lot. Because I desperately want only to speak God’s truth, and I don’t want to detract from his Gospel because of my own pride or lack of faith. And as I prayed for wisdom, courage, and grace, I was answered again and again with the peace of Christ, and the knowledge that he has already won the most important battle against sin and death, he reminds me repeatedly that it is not well-formed arguments, eloquent words, or endless knowledge that will change hearts, it is only the gentle nudge of his Spirit, the reality of the Cross and the supremacy of Christ. I’m so grateful he uses me in the process, but I am even more grateful that it is ultimately up to him, not me, and I can faithfully trust him in that.

So I will keep defending his word, and I will keep speaking for the unborn who cannot speak for themselves; but I won’t worry and I won’t be offended. I will do my best to be faithful to the calling of my great God who can turn water into wine and hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 4:1-6

Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Thank you, readers for your encouragement, and respectful debate. Let’s keep being the exceptions.