Overcorrecting makes for a lot of car wrecks. The right-side tires get off in the gravel, you feel the car
tugging into the ditch, and in a moment of panic you jerk the wheel and roll the car. Our
absentmindedness often has us panicking over dangers in many areas of our lives. We lose our focus
and drift outside the lines that God has painted for us. In our zeal to get back on track, we often lose
our way altogether.
For some time now, the Church has lost its muscle tone in its defense of the weak, in its pursuit of
justice, and in its willingness to stand up against violence and cruelty. The perception of the Church has
become that of a wimpy, emasculated, lips-zipped consoler. Now that’s not the biblical Jesus and that’s
not the Christians who are His namesake.
There’s a growing movement among church leaders in the West that is intent on showing that God’s
people are not pushovers. Christians, especially believing men, are finding their voice again and
stiffening against a lot of the rot and erosion all around. This is a good thing. But, in this revival of
muscle, there is the dangerous possibility of an overcorrection. In an attempt to show that we’re not
the lightweights that popular culture portrays us to be, are we jerking the wheel? One hot button issue
that seems to be a flashpoint in all of this is the matter of guns and self-defense. Would Jesus
encourage Billy Joe to take his guns to town or would he encourage him to listen to his mom and ride
without? Jon Piper has written a thought-provoking article on this very topic and, while none of us will
agree with it entirely, I think it forms a good basis for a much-needed conversation. So; God, guns, the
gospel, and our 2nd Amendment rights and responsibilities. We probably won’t need any coffee or baked
goods to fuel the conversation but it can’t hurt. I hope you’ll consider joining us Sunday morning,
September 15th at 8:30am in room 208 in the Family Life Center as we eat, fellowship, and work on this
together. See you then and there!
