Protests and demonstrations are back in the news as many college campuses are being rocked by demands for change. I feel like I’m living in the ‘60s again! It’s become a part of our Western culture for people to take to the streets in an attempt to secure rights for themselves or their favorite group. As Christians, we’re often baffled about how to respond. Should we join the ranks of those protesting or not? Is it wrong to stay silent in the face of injustice? How can we best represent the Lord Jesus in such a hostile and chaotic environment?  

We know that anarchy is not the answer. In countries based on the rule of law, laws are written to ensure a measure of freedom for everyone. When we seek to undermine every corporate institution and authority, we become subject to mob rule … survival of the fittest, the loudest, and those willing to do anything to get their way. But we also know that written laws are not always applied fairly, so when is it appropriate to flaunt civil laws and authorities? Does Scripture spell out what we should do in such cases?

The short answer is no. In each individual situation we must pray and seek God’s counsel, then act accordingly. That’s because Scripture shows a variety of responses among God’s people to their governments and ruling authorities. In perhaps the most dramatic example, Daniel and his friends were supportive, even cooperative, with their Babylonian captors … except in areas that violated God’s commands. We see civil disobedience in the Hebrew midwives who spared newborns in defiance of Pharaoh’s command to kill them, in the early church’s refusal to quit speaking about Jesus in the face of imprisonment and beatings, and in Elijah’s confrontations with King Ahab over the prophets of Baal. But we also see Jeremiah advising the Jews going into exile to seek the peace and prosperity of the cities of their oppressors (Jeremiah 29:4-7) and Paul instructing the church at Rome to be subject to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7).

The Bible is clear about one thing, though—the character of God. As His people, we are called, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, to reflect His ways. Probably the best overall approach to any issue is found in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

When we walk humbly with Him, we recognize that rights are not ends in themselves. They bring with them a corporate responsibility to everyone else who lives in community with us. As it says in Romans 14:7, “None of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.” The poet John Donne said it this way: “No man is an island.” Rights are never absolute because they are conferred with built-in limits. Your rights keep mine in balance and mine mitigate what you can do. Consideration for others must be factored into any decisions we make and all actions we take.

I like how Paul spelled this out in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24. “‘I have the right to do anything’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek [just] their own good, but [also] the good of others.” Living well as a citizen in community requires wisdom, discernment, and self-sacrifice—especially for those of us who follow Jesus. We should set the example in living out the command in Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

When Tony and I were newly saved we were bold in proclaiming the truth, sharing the Gospel with everyone we came into contact with. While our motives were good—we wanted to please God more than anyone else—we weren’t always sensitive in how we communicated truth. One day we erected a large, professionally made sign in our front yard that read “Repent and Believe the Gospel.” For us, it was super attractive and eye-catching. Its bold lettering and bright colors ensured that anyone on our block couldn’t miss the message. For our neighbors across the street, though, it was more of an eyesore. Though on our property, the sign screamed at them every time they entered or exited their front door.

We had a pretty good relationship with these non-Christian neighbors, so one day the husband came over to kindly ask us if we would mind moving our sign to a less conspicuous place, out of their line of vision. The problem was, to move it meant no one else could see it either, so his request created a conflict for us. We wanted to be obedient to what we felt the Lord would have us do (witness about the saving power of Jesus) but we also didn’t want to alienate our neighbor (whom we wanted to win to Him). At that point in our walk with the Lord, Tony and I tended to see everything in black and white, so our initial inclination was to please God above what anyone else thought.

After seeking the Lord’s wisdom, however, we decided it would be best to put aside our right to express ourselves and honor our neighbor’s request out of love and concern for our relationship with them. We put into practice what Paul said in Philippians 2:3-4. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”

In this passage Paul was writing about our relationship with other Christians, but the same principle applies in our interactions with others in our larger communities. This doesn’t mean Christians should compromise their stand on moral issues or quit sharing the Gospel, lest they offend someone. But in Ephesians 4:15 we’re told to always speak the truth in love. Living as citizens of a larger community/nation means finding a balance between rights and responsibilities. In his approach to securing civil rights for blacks, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. understood this tension. As he wrote in one of his books, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”

We might wish that the “correct” stance on all issues was clearer in Scripture. It would be easier for us to know exactly how to respond to social and moral issues. But this is by God’s design. He wants us to be dependent upon His Spirit’s direction to discover how to best represent Him. The Bible is not primarily a rulebook. Instead, it inspires us to always seek the face of God and obey what He reveals to us. We’re placed in a position like King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12. “Our God … we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on YOU.”  

Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise that when we lack wisdom, we can call on you and you will give us direction. Events around us are troubling, Lord, and we desire to represent you the best way we can. So please show us how to love our neighbors as ourselves while staying true to your commands. Help us to balance our needs and wants with those we live among and, above all else, give us your Spirit of love and grace so we can help people to find you. The freedom we enjoy in you is a precious gift, Lord Jesus. May we use it for your glory by acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with you. Amen.