This is The Way

“ This is the way”, says the Mandalorean. 

You know, that poignant, omnipotent phrase from the popular Star Wars spin-off series. Ok, ok..baby Yoda is pretty cool, too!! 😂😂

The phrase means that this is the right thing to do, this is what we want to do, this is who we want to be. This is the right way.

But there’s also the cancel culture way, isn’t there? Social media sites like Twitter make instant engagement possible with thousands of people all around the world, friends, strangers & celebrities alike. At any given moment, we can discuss publicly what we think or feel or believe.

But, if you say the wrong thing, pick the wrong side or believe the wrong, or above all else, the offensive thing, You’re gonna be bullied.

I hate bullies. I remember those guys from the middle school and high school hallways. The brutal pecking order and people trying desperately to get ahead and one-up on each other. The bullies were always the broken people, remember? The insecure-in-their-own-skin and dying for acceptance people. They were never happy. But boy could they hurt us.

This way is antithetical to Christianity. “Go and sin no more”, said Jesus to the prostitute. The shepherd leaves the 99 sheep to find the one who is lost. Jesus touched lepers, which made him ritually and physically unclean. He talked to drunks and thieves and traitors. He fraternized with the enemy. Jesus gave grace, mercy, forgiveness and acceptance. Yet even He did this, He spoke the truth. This is the way. 

Cancel culture means no grace and no forgiveness. There’s no room for learning. It’s where, if you make a mistake, you’re gonna get piled on, publicly shamed and people will try to annihilate your reputation. Cancel culture means you’re gonna get whacked. You’re finished. You’re through.

Canceling others is normal. Hurt people hurt, and we take out our pain on others. Just like the bullies, we want to get ahead. We desperately want to prove to ourselves that we have value, that we have what it takes.

But this is wrong. This is not the right way. Deep inside, we all know it. 

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Jesus was full of grace and truth (John 1). Jesus is the God of second chances. He’s concerned with genuine character growth and development, and that takes time.

Do you think Jesus was offended by some of the people He talked to? Absolutely. Did He ever hear the “F” word? I’m sure He did. Did anyone ever spill a beer on him, treat a women disrespectfully, or make Him sad or angry because of their sin? You better believe it.

Not everyone has to agree with us, and that’s OK. Not everything is a moral imperative. We should choose our battles. We can respond, but we don’t need to retaliate.

Instead, be patient with others and accept those who are different. Hang out with the offensive, touch the lepers, get your hands dirty fixing the brokenness around us. Instead of canceling, shine the light of grace and truth into this forgiveness-hungry world.

This is the way.