Never has our society been more in need of people of holy influence. Never has our nation been more polarized politically on a number of issues, many of them involving moral and biblical principles. Never has the Body of Christ been more divided on which manner of response is the “right” or appropriate one to influence and light our dark, sinful world.

I preached recently on how we are all uniquely “wired,” individually spiritual-gifted and how God has made us and calls and uses us in very different ways. So it is with holy influence!

My mind went back several years ago to another city I lived in. That area was home to three abortion clinics, all of them doing a brisk business in a county of less than 400,000 people. The church was constantly faced wtih the question: What should our response be to this reality? Some chose the approach of “sidewalk counseling,” intercepting ladies as they came into the clinics and asking kindly to talk with them, then sharing a pro-life and Christ-centered witness. Others chose the silent prayer approach, quietly walking and praying outside the clinics on public sidewalks. I actually did this on more than one occasion myself. Others would hold signs, seek support from people driving by and occasionally yell or chant messages of opposition to what was going on inside the building. Others tried to ignore the whole fiasco, praying and hoping it would all go away, and never said or did anything. Then there were those, few in number, who felt called of God to try to physically block access to the clinics, laying down or blocking the doors, knowing they would be arrested and happy to be for the cause. We had people in our congregation who chose each of those responses, as well as some others. And we all worshiped together.

I remembered one intense conversation with a man who felt called to be arrested. He believed God had called him to do so, regardless of present or future consequences. We prayed together about it, and he shared with his family his decision, then proceeded to do so, with their support. I never felt clear or called to do so myself, which thrilled most church members and disappointed others. But I used the holy influence opportunities God gave me in my own unique way, as others did theirs. My heart was clear. When he went to jail, was booked on a crime, and was released, we prayed for him and supported him, even though most of us had very different methods of response. There was no judgmentalism either way – and he is still today a very close friend of mine.

This is the way it should be in the Body of Christ. With our local schools, community issues, politics at all levels, legislative issues, etc. we will discern different leadings from God on how to respond. We may offer occasional methods of response within our church. Different issues and different times will inspire different responses from people. That is OK.

Seek God’s direction for how you use your holy influence! Don’t judge others who are led differently from you, and don’t cast dispersion on them if so. Further, don’t stick your head in the sand and hope it all goes away – it won’t!

And also remember this – you are not called just for one moment in history. You are called to be His salt and light and holy influence continually – until He comes again. In various ways and sundry times and places the Spirit will raise you up. Stay faithful. Stay engaged! And don’t get weary in well doing.

If you went to that community today, you would find abortions still being performed every day. You would find at least two of those three clinics still operating. And you would also find people still responding differently and uniquely within the Body of Christ! Oh, by the way, you would also find services and facilities for ladies in unwanted and crisis pregnancies to enable them to have their babies and give them support after the birth. And you would find adoption agencies for those who choose to put their child in the arms of a loving mother and father. Two of those ministries I helped found, and was on the Board of both! And the impact of those ministries lives on long after I left.

May our church always be a place where believers are free to be led by the Holy Spirit to their appropriate response, and not judged, categorized or put on guilt trips by those who are led differently. May we be a diverse congregation, with people from beginning seekers to mature life-long Christ-followers who love and respect each other on the journey. May we never be a church known for sticking its collective head in the sand, ignoring the decay around us and hoping it just all gets better. And may we recognize while sin and evil will continue to flourish around us, so will grace, through us, until Jesus comes. Not getting weary in well-doing, but strengthened by the continuing infilling and empowering of the Holy Spirit.