by JasonEarly Christians didn't enjoy the benefits that come with the modern day Church. In fact, it was quite the opposite; to admit that you were a follower of Jesus in many Roman cities was to become a martyr. Probably the most interesting part of this whole history lesson is that the very word 'Christian' was actually used by secular powers to describe this sect of Judaism that acted so different that they required a new name other than 'Jewish'. The first known reference to the word was in Antioch - "It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians." (Acts 11:26) - which is interesting because Antioch was a city that was severely divided into social and racial boroughs by walls. But these so-called 'Christians' (literally, Christ-followers, or 'little Christs') came in and mixed it all up. They believed that there is no Greek or Jew, slave or free, and as such, they believed that all were welcome and met with anyone who wanted to hear this new Gospel. The poorest and weakest were exalted, and Christians would often chastise the powerful and rich for their mistreatment of these Blessed. And so, when the powers in Antioch used this word 'Christian', it was not a name of honor. On the contrary, it was somewhat of a slur, a pejorative, a name given to attack and insult this group of people who were threatening the good way of life in Antioch. Often in history we find the use of pejoratives to take something unique and true about a people and twist it into an insult. Nigerian slaves, our Jewish brothers, various Asian races, and even people with differing political opinions, addictions, or physical characteristics and desires have experienced all kinds of slurs and names given by those who want to somehow diminish their value and dignity as human beings. What this accomplishes is more about the conscience of the oppressor - if I take someone's God-given name away from them and replace it with something generic and stereotypical, then that person, freed from his or her true name, is no longer a person with an individual identity, feelings and cares. Now, I can treat them as I would any enemy or animal and my conscience is subdued. Moreso, using a pejorative allows us to take everything that a people are and turn it into something that is abhorred and cursed. The 'Wide Awake' movement is one of these examples. Adopted by supporters of Abraham Lincoln in the 1860's, his Republican party cultivated the use of the term 'Awake' to oppose the spread of slavery. Of course, there is a strong Biblical connotation to this idea of 'staying awake' that Jesus asked of His disciples in many of his final teachings, in the Garden of Gethsemane and later used by Paul to describe the call to "awake from sleep" and receive salvation (Rom 13:11). In the Bible, 'Staying awake' is to follow God's commandment to love Him and neighbor, to not fall into a worldly rhythm of accepting things as they are, and to be aware and acknowledge what is around you as right and wrong instead of using what benefits 'me' the most and discarding the rest. The early Christians were certainly considered 'wide awake' to the suffering of people who weren't accepted for who they were, and this was the reason they were heavily persecuted. This same idea of being 'Awake' continued to be used in the freed-but-persecuted African-American community throughout the 1900s, though in the vernacular, they would advise one another to "Stay Woke". It wasn't until the 21st century that this idea became more mainstream, meaning (much as in the 1860s and in the first century) to be alert and aware of social and racial discrimination and injustice. It was a call for social justice, to be aware of the suffering people around you. Recalling again those first Jesus followers, Merriam-Webster defined the expression 'Stay Woke' as someone who is "self-aware, questioning the dominant paradigm and striving for something better".
As history repeats over and over again, the past decade has shown us the all-too-common backlash, where this people who are seen as different and controversial are now a pejorative. All of this history, people, and progress since Abraham Lincoln can simply be labeled and slurred so that anyone who believes in racial justice or social justice or the dignity of a persecuted group are now just 'Woke'. Have there been poor choices made in the name of 'Wokeness' that can be trumpeted and paraded as examples of this name? Sure - no people, no organization, no institution, no Earthly idea is perfect. But, absent of adequate racial justice in our world, we should not be so lazy as to dismiss a people simply because someone can use a pejorative to insult them. In fact, if I reflect on the example of Christ, I can find a lot of similarities in Jesus' call to "stay awake" (Mt 25:13) and His care for the rejected (Lepers), the outcast (Samaritans), and the persecuted (sinners). We do not know when He will come to us as the outcast; woe to me if I simply tell Him "Sorry, I'm not Woke." (c.f. Mt 25:46)
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On a MissionTwo passionate parents and their four children are excited to bring His Word to everyone in need while living a life of Gospel poverty as missionaries. They invite you to join them on a journey to encounter our global neighbors that Jesus commands us to love through works of charity and service. Archives
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