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Do you remember DOS? (pronounced daus)

Before there was Windows 7, XP or Vista there was Microsoft Disk Operating System – MS-DOS.  I have family that have been heavy duty into the computer world.  While most of my family would swear by Apple products there was a knowledge for DOS.

To me DOS was a  bunch of crazy characters that didn’t make sense.  It was computer text lingo that’s far from understandable to my mind.  Today though, there’s a new DOS. And it’s here again this week Friday, April 20th.  It’s called the Day Of Silence.  The purpose of the event is to “call attention to the serious problem of anti‐lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bullying, harassment, name‐calling and discrimination in schools.” 

It also represents something that I simply can’t figure out, it’s called justifying our sin.  You do it… I do it… really no one is exempt from it.  Before anyone gets upset… Greg Stier makes these points that I want to get across first as I agree.  (check dare2share.org)

1. God loves lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people. He cherishes them and they are as incredibly special to Him as any other people He has created in His own image.
2. The Bible teaches that a homosexual lifestyle conflicts with God’s blueprint for sexuality just as premarital sex, adultery, lustful thoughts, and many other dimensions of sexuality that are widely-accepted in our present culture do. The fact that these other sinful distortions of God’s blueprint for sexuality are widely-accepted does not change the truth of God’s Word and teaching. (See Romans 1:20-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, and 1Timothy 1:9-10.)
3. Whatever the sexual sin, the justification that it “feels so right” does not change the truth of God’s Word. Virtually all sexual sin “feels right” at the time it is entered into – that’s why humans head down those wrong paths – the present, fleeting pleasure lures us away from the reality of God’s truth.
4. God is not a killjoy when it comes to sexuality. The reason God gives us guidelines in Scripture for sexual behavior is that sex outside of a heterosexual marriage has destructive consequences, and it breaks His heart to see us willfully damage or destroy our lives and relationships.
5. God hates all sinful behavior. Our sin, whatever it is, breaks His heart because all sinful behavior distances us in our relationship with Him and yields pain and hurt in our lives. The Bible identifies only ONE unforgivable sin and that is the choice of permanently rejecting Christ.
6. Jesus looks upon us with compassion, love, forgiveness and grace, but He also desires what is best for us, and that is why God has given us the guidelines for living that are contained in the Bible.

So… Please understand my reason for speaking up today.  I am participating in the Day of Silence (DOS) by speaking up.  My deliberate outcry echoes the real issue; bullying, name-calling and harassment of others because of their differences. I believe that ending the silence on this day is the first step toward facing the real problem.  In the stillness of the day, think about the voice of truth.  

It’s not that bullying is okay.  It’s not.  It’s not that one person is better than another. We’re all in the same boat, sinning and justifying it to keep on sinning.  The standards that I would challenge anyone with I also strive for in my personal life.

Where I really have a problem is…

What about the bullying in school towards the mentally handicapped?

What about the bullying in school towards those that don’t fit in?

What about the bullying in school towards the quiet, bashful kid?

I’ve experienced them all.  I had classmates that would intentionally shut the lockers of handicapped students before lunch, just to be mean.  My sister was part of that program.

I had classmates that intentionally picked me last or fought not to have me on their team, just to be mean.  And because I was bashful and quiet, it gave people an in to push me around without ever getting caught.

So, what about that bullying?  Should we have a day of silence for each one? I think we need to teach our kids that we should never discriminate against anyone, ever.

Are we, as Christ Followers, called to do anything on the Day of Silence?  Because of the ‘Christian’ title and more importantly the commitment that it represents, are we called to do anything?

Greg Stier says we must do two things:

1. Drop the labels and begin to see all people, regardless of whether they are living outside of God’s blueprint for sexuality, as our neighbor.
2. Seek out Scriptures teachings on this topic.

Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye 

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Check out the article “How Can Christians Respond to The National Day of Silence.” You’ll find this to be an excellent resource in reaching out for the sake of the gospel and the sake of your friends who need Jesus. http://www.dare2share.org

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