“You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it.” - Paulo Coelho
I saw this quote in a tweet from Banksy, but on further review it looks like it may have originated with Paulo Coelho. Nevertheless, it has been in my head and heart a lot lately. Particularly when it comes to the current state of the Christian faith, and everything wrapped up in what that is or is perceived to be.
You see, culture is like a raging river, moving and shifting through time. A river that in the past, many evangelicals have fought a war against—the culture war. Well, in many respects, that war is over. And culture didn’t lose.
You can no longer dig in your heals and fight a war against this river. Telling this river what is right and what is wrong. In a lot of respects*, your war strategy was laden with words over actions. With instruction over empathy. With finger-pointing over a mirror. With ignorance over understanding.
But it’s a new day. People are screaming for action over words. Empathy over instruction. Looking in the mirror—and looking again—before pointing a finger. We’ve got to increase our inputs to increase our understanding. Our children are demanding it. Our world is in need of it.
It says somewhere in the good book that, as followers of Jesus we are to be “in the world and not of it.” So don't stand against the river because you will surely drown. Choose the boat you will board to traverse the rapids. But be careful of what you pull into the boat with you. Don’t burden its buoyancy with ignorance and inactivity. Be aware of the river. Learn what others are doing to navigate the waters. Perhaps link up to boats that may not be exactly like yours and ride the rapids together.
* I know there are so many who’ve done good and continue to do good integrating, serving, and loving others within culture, but for this blog entry’s purposes I am talking in regard to what a lot of people in the world feel or experience.