The Twigs of Culture

That moment when a man kisses your daughter and you think, “Hey! I don’t have to snap this guy like a twig! Awesome!”

I read this comment from a prominent Texas pastor.
This pastor is the father of nine children.
He and his wife homeschool all of them.
His oldest daughter just got married.

To say that this pastor looks like a football linebacker is an understatement.
He could easily snap any young man in two, should his daughter’s purity be at stake.
He leads his congregation in a small Texas church.
Most importantly, he leads his family.

The protection of his wife and children is his primary job before God.
He speaks often on the subject of purity, home education, and defending the faith.
Apologetics is one of his strengths.
The discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of information.

Defending your faith in the marketplace.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15,16)

The dictionary defines apologetics as a systematic, argumentative discourse.
Yet, God’s Word says that we are to give an answer with gentleness and respect.
Never once backing down from the truth.
Never once pushing the Truth down another person’s throat.

That was not Jesus’ way.
It should not be ours.
Truth is very capable of standing alone and standing apart.
Truth like cream will always rise to the top.

Put anything against the Truth of God’s Word and God’s Word will stand.
God’s Word will remain standing.
God’s Word never falters or fails.
God’s Word endures forever.

The Texas pastor knows that.
That is why he defends the faith and the Word of God so powerfully.
That is why he would indeed snap any young man in two who tried to harm his daughter.
He protected her and handed her over on her wedding day as a pure and spotless bride.

Sometimes we fail in our task as parents, that is why we need God’s help so desperately.
We catch the pulse beat of the culture and find it difficult to stand alone.
It is just too hard to be counter cultural, many say as their prominent excuse.
In the scheme of things, this is not really all that bad, many rationalize.

We don’t want to just get by.
We want to excel.
Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)
That may mean snapping a few twigs in two if necessary.

Protecting our daughter’s purity is so vitally important.
Protecting our sons as well.
Teaching our sons to be the kind of man who protects and respects a woman.
Teaching our children to regard their bodies as living sacrifices.

Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

Offering your purity to God as an act of worship.
Conversely, if we do not remain pure, what kind of sacrifice are we offering to God?
We need more fathers who love God and His Word and will defend it.
We need more fathers who will defend and protect their daughter’s purity, and their sons.

Defense of God and His Word and all He holds dear will naturally overflow into our lives.
Teaching our children what it means to remain pure is essential.
Teaching them to be set apart from the world in holiness.
Extending grace and forgiveness when they sin, since we ourselves sin and need the same.

Setting our families apart from the onslaught of culture.
Protecting them from the bombardment of media that is constantly before their eyes.
Quieting the incessant din of culture that clamors for their attention.
Teaching them to avoid the lure of bigger, better, new, improved, solitary, and shallow.

We need to hold out a better way.
We cannot teach our children a better way if we do not know that Way ourselves.
Parents need to snap in two the twigs of culture that come against their children.
Those twigs seem innocent enough at first, but they are dangerous.

You don’t have to be the size of a linebacker to be an apologist.
You don’t have to be a pastor to defend the Word of God.
In order to lead, you have to know Who it is that you are following.
If you are following yourself, you will be lost.

It must be God and His Word and His Truth that you are following.
Upon that Word alone should we stand.
There is only ONE way.
We have to know that Way in order to teach our children.

The Texas pastor had it right.
He was able to say, Awesome, and rightfully so.
It is awesome to defend and protect what God holds close to His heart.
It is awesome to see this as a charge given by God to ensure Godly families.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)

One day, the Bride of Christ will be given to her Husband, Jesus.
On that day, we will know that we were protected and kept pure for our Lord.
Jesus, who washes us with the water of His Word, will come back for His Bride.
On that twig of culture, the Roman cross, He hung, and bled, and died.

He rose again and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
Jesus intercedes for us and keeps us pure for Himself.
The Marriage will soon be consummated and will bring God the Father much glory.
Jesus snapped the twig of the Roman cross for His Bride.