My preface…

It’s the word heard around the world. Woke. Woke. Woke. Have you heard? I know you have. Because unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re most assuredly aware of this term by now and its meaning. Wokeism or the woke agenda is “to be aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)”. It’s a term that has been around for a decade or so now but has increasingly become more and more in the forefront. It is politically driven as are most things in our current culture.

The message conveyed is that you are typically “woke” if you’re “left” and unaffected and out of touch if you’re “right”. This could not be more untrue. At least on my end. For me, the opposite is actually true. I feel the word should be redefined in terms of what really matters. You’re not woke just because you agree with everything and everyone’s truth. To me, the term woke should bring liberty and not bondage to a sinful life style. I am affected by what I see daily and want so much more for others. My desire is to be the “RIGHT KIND OF WOKE”. Woke by the Spirit, woke in seeking truth and sharing that truth, and woke to what’s beyond this temporal life. It’s a woke that sees change and in turn realizes a true freedom that can ensue for all! Every single person. Right, left, pink, purple, man, woman, child, adult….. But it’s a freedom that requires change. It’s a freedom that only Jesus brings. And if the Christian does not have a standard and is accepting of everything that hurts the heart of God, then how can we reach the lost?

Before moving forward, let me say this…. Candor’s viewpoint is for Jesus and His Word. Its goal is transparency and honesty and it does not promise to make everyone feel good. I will not say everything the reader might agree with or want to hear. But I do promise that its purpose is not to be judgmental but truthful. Truth In love.

My angst…

Wokeism in this current culture comes into play with a narrative that is troubling. “It encourages us to entertain certain things that make us dismiss our conviction about sin.” I’m sorry to say but society is very skewed at times. The agenda has transformed into something so far away from God’s Word. And though some would say, “well, I’m not a Christian so that’s not my belief or my truth”, the fact still remains that things have become troubling. I’ll say this…everything is tolerated and anything goes unless of course the Bible or Jesus come into the conversation. Have you noticed? The very definition of liberal is to be open to new ideas and accepting until Christianity is mentioned. Many of us have seen or experienced this hypocrisy.

Now, the very definition of the woke agenda is relating to justice. So let’s touch on that for a moment. Should we desire justice and refuse prejudices and mistreatment of others? Of course! Unequivocally.

If we’re followers of Jesus, we should reflect justice. No one on this earth, now or that ever was, is more good, fair, right, just and loving than Jesus. I promise you that. He loved perfectly but He also told the truth. Not the tolerant, ‘sort of’ or ‘kind of’ truth, but instead the unabashed loving truth. For the hearer’s benefit. He is the most JUST.

Contest won, hands down!

Jeremiah 9:23-24

²³ This is what the Lord says

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
²⁴ but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    JUSTICE and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

Oh, I love the verse that says ‘but let the one who boasts boast this: that they have the understanding to know me’.

To know Him!

Because, that my friends, is what matters. To know Him. I am so disheartened by the those that say they know God and paint him in a different light to line up with their agenda. Some live an “anything goes” way of life. “Don’t say anything” as we need to be tolerant. I will say this…I will never be forbearing when something is the antithesis of God. I will always love (ALWAYS) and in doing so, stand firm on His truth. And if asked, and sometimes even when not asked, the goal is to be forthright because when you love someone, really love someone, you tell them the truth. And when you don’t, love is missing.

My truth…

“Have you ever been to a buffet where the soft serve ice cream machine was next to the salad bar, just tempting you to eat dessert first? This woke mentality often does the same thing in our culture. It draws us to fill up on ice cream (thoughts that make us feel good) instead of feasting on the protein we need (the absolute truth of Scripture).” (Excerpt taken from E.Y)

The Bible is my source of truth. I believe every single word of the Bible, Not a part, not a section, not what works for my political standing…but the whole. My goal is to be WOKE TO HIS WORD! When we fill our minds with the wisdom of God’s Word, we can more easily identify mindsets that oppose His truth.

Know this! There is no ambiguity in scripture. Its not wishy washy, or lacking. It’s clear, strong and it’s the only foundation. We need to know the Word to stand by it. We either believe it or we don’t. Simple as that.

It bogs my mind when Christians place people and societal expectations over their beliefs. It’s as if they’re buying into a regime that says you must accept everything in order to love. “They are wanting to be accepting of people who struggle even if it sin affirming.” Some go as far as to deny the scripture that addresses these issues. You can love people, yes that’s the goal and most especially as Christians. But we do not need to affirm them at their own peril or expense.

My urging…

We have lost focus, friends. Society and the political narrative is focusing on the “WRONG KIND OF WOKE”. There’s something so much deeper and more profound than the nonsense ensuing. Yet, Christians who profess to believe take a supportive position on so many non Biblical issues.

Ephesians 5:14-15 says, “‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.”

I spur every one of us on to stand up for others and repudiate mistreatment. I incite us to love others and to reflect Jesus’ love and truth to ALL. Not just the “right” or “left”. We must come to a point where we believe what we say we do, without feeling as if we need to justify it to the current culture. “It is not unloving to say the truth to a world in need of a Savior.”

My desire…

Plain and simple. I want to be woke. THE RIGHT KIND OF WOKE! I want to be woke in the only way that matters.

Woke in loving Jesus!

Woke in the truth of His Word!

Woke in loving others.

Woke in knowing this earthly life is fleeting.

Woke in reaching the lost.

Woke in standing up for others.

Woke in being Holy Spirit led.

Jesus is for you and me, and for all! But are we are for Him?! I’m talking fully invested, carrying out His mission unashamedly? Because if so, we can change the world! But that necessitates something. It demands loving as we tell the biblical truth. We’re not here to defend our political stance, we’re here for much more!

Let’s bring the right kind of woke to a lost and dying world! After all, their eternity is at stake. And that’s more important than making them feel earthly good now. Eternity is forever. I’m so thankful someone brought me the truth. And that because of Jesus, though I’ll never be perfect, I can be forever changed.

And remember, when we reflect Jesus, every kind of woke is accomplished. Because when we live and love like Him and tell His truth, a beautiful change happens for all.

Let’s stay biblically “WOKE”. After all, it’s the only kind that brings true freedom.

God bless!

Tanya

(*Disclaimer – No AI was used in the writing of this blog)