The Truth About Pins.

Safety pins. I'd don't think they were intended for political purposes. Neither is this post. I think there's merit and corruption in both parties. What I don't see, is honestly about lawlessness, inequality, racism, or  greed in our citizenship. So, I'm not picking on a party or anyone. It's the behavior I'm calling out. We shouldn't ignore it if it's unproductive. We shouldn't reward it if it's bad. We should stop it if it's wrong. All of it should be analyzed. You have to admit, there's irony in college students wanting to draw an imaginary ring on a campus for a "safe place" while condemning those who want a wall around the country. Education has never been a replacement for common sense or intelligence.

Who knew, safetypins would become a national political symbol? Why not firing pins or hitch pins or hair pins? How about we make our symbol, bowling pins? That way, they could roll over us and knock us down. They'd like that, except ,we'd always stand up again. 

Symbols are overrated. They go to or over our heads. Before you start using one, you might want to research it .Apparently, some people are now wearing a safety pin as an indication they are a safe person to talk to following a tight presidential election having no idea the symbol has been hijacked. Research it. It has multiple meanings. Most of the rest of us had no idea talking in America was so dangerous. As long as you don't mess with our stuff, most of us are safe to talk to. If we are honest, we are kinda thinking, maybe it's pointless to talk to those wearing safety pins. Don't tell anyone, but up until last Tuesday, America was unified  and everyone, not wearing safety pins, agreed on everything and were safe to talk to. If reality was a hotel, it would be in a ghost town. You can't have this much diversity without some division. Here's the truth, when two people are in perfect agreement, the opinion of one of those persons is no longer warranted. You can learn lots from people you don't agree with, but you'll have to leave behind your sensitivity. 

The Bible teaches 

Faithful are the wounds of a friend;

profuse are the kisses of an enemy. Proverbs 27:6

Everyone, who tells you exactly what you want to hear, isn't your friend. Often, those who love you the most will do the complete opposite. If you don't recognize this experience, you are either oblivious or sheltered. Society can't wait for you have the pleasure of removing a knife from your own back and the revelation it was left there by an enemy you thought was your friend.

We live in a country where, at least for the moment, you have rights.

Under the First Amendment, freedom of expression affords you have the right to act like an emotional train wreck, who can't take defeat. You have the right to exude weakness or coddle it. You have the right to exaggerate the truth, or ignore the truth. As long as you're not under oath, you have the right to lie. You have a right to believe a lie. My personal favorite is there's more than one truth. It's the most popular. The rest of us have the right to call it like we see it. In other words, we have the right to speak something that is offensive. It's quite easily done, just slip up and praise Jesus or say something remotely patriotic.

I have the right to love anyone I choose. We can love someone we disagree with. Ask any parent parenting. Love doesn't, ignore, sugar coat, or exaggerate truth in life lessons. Oh, it might in the niceties of trivial questions like " How do I look?" But, it doesn't lie in matters essential to survival. So I'm saying this in love, but some are likely not going to like it .

The truth is so brutally honest, many times, it's dangerous. It's pointed. It pricks you in the heart. Everything a safety pin doesn't do. But a safety pin, it's cute and relatively safe. Like the blue pill from the Matrix. (Funny the symbolic colors and nature of those red and blue pills. Walking in a comfortable alternative reality, you take the blue pill. Walking in truth, you take a red pill.... hmmm. But I digress) Anyway,  the problem is the truth ain't, so much. Pretty, that is. Often, it's ugly enough people turn away from it. 

It happens to the best of us. Literally. It happened  to Christ. I'm reminded of these words from John chapter 6.

"After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him"

It wasn't the Pharisees that left. It was the disciples. 

Why? Go read chapter 6. Because He told the truth. He called people out in their motives. They took offense. In verse 61, He calls them on their offense and gives them more truth. The all knowing God of scripture, knew they would be offended at the truth, knew they would leave, ahead of time, and he said the truth anyway! The inventor of love, did not coddle their emotions, change his approach, his tone, the message, the word, or anything to make them stay. He didn't backtrack,  he moved forward without those uncommitted. He did not intentionally offend, but it was the truth. It needed to be said. And love doesn't lie. He is the way, truth, and the life.

You can sacrifice the Truth. Though, it will take something bigger than safety pins. You'll need hammers and nails. We've  done that already, and God hijacked their symbol of death, turning the cross into a symbol of life. There's only one way to know the difference between the real thing and a knock off. Inspection.Symbols have never been more than those displaying them. That goes for name brand goods, safety pins, or the crosses adorning necks or on towering steeple of a church. Maybe, it's time to respond to the Truth differently. Maybe, it's time to do like twelve men did with the truth . Walk with it and change the world. It wasn't safe for them. It won't be safe for us. Do you love enough, to be offensive as Christ?

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