June 23, 2002
Living as a Minority

TEXT: Psalm 69: 4, 8, 12, 14
Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards. Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.

Living as a minority can be quite emotional. Many of us have had that experience.

I once was a member of a board that dealt with financial matters. It was a great learning experience that I treasure. The people on this board were very kind and down-to-earth. However, I often found myself hesitant to speak on a particular problem, because all other members of this board worked in the business world and were millionaires. I was not a millionaire and really did not have the credentials to offer much financial advice.

When I shared these feelings with one of the board members, he reprimanded me and asked, “Why do you think we chose to have you as a part of the group? Your contributions to the ethical concerns of this company are extremely important. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Though I was treated as an equal on the board, I got a small taste of what it was to live as a part of the financial minority, and that was a good experience for me.

There are many kinds of minority groups. Racial and national groups are not the only minorities. What about the disabled? They are a minority group. Their lifestyles have been severely altered in some cases.

There is also the religious minority. From the beginning of the Christian era until the present day, Christians have been, and continue to be, a minority group. When we use the title “Christian,” we refer to those who confess Jesus Christ as God and the only Savior of the world. This is the Biblical definition of the term. There is a broader definition that equates the Christian as one who seeks to follow the ethical teachings that Jesus expounded. However, they stop short of calling Him God, and they certainly do not acknowledge Him as the only Savior of humankind. This group is large in Western civilization.

The Psalmist, writing the words that serve as our text, lived in a religious minority. In verse 8 he writes, “I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s son.” In verse 11 he continues, “People make sport of me. I am the song of the drunkards. I am insulted and endure scorn.”

Why was he treated this way? Because his religious convictions had become offensive to not only the general populace, but also to his family. A moderate religious life is not only acceptable, but also admired. However, to be strongly committed and vocal about your faith may often be offensive to society.

The application from Judaism in the Old Testament to Christianity in this century is easy to make. Make a strong, Biblical witness on some of the hot subjects of the day and you will not only see people in strong disagreement with you, but they will also begin to exclude you from your group, labeling you a religious fanatic. It will not be unusual for even a blood relative to say, “We can’t understand what happened to her. We were a church-going family and tried to do what was right, but our parents warned us against extremism in all things, including religion. She has become an embarrassment to us.”

What have you done? Have you been obnoxious in your witness? Have you embarrassed people? Did you dominate the conversation demanding that all others were wrong and you were right in every detail? Did you claim to have the answer for every religious question and give the impression that you were “holier than thou?”

No, you had simply taken a Biblical position on matters that really count to the Christian and have an effect on society and its problems. Your convictions were labeled outdated, intolerant, prejudicial, and irrational. The confession of your church – that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the authority in all matters of faith and life – is too narrow for the majority of people to accept. This quote from Dean Peter Moore of the Episcopal Church would be more acceptable to the majority, “The Bible is much loved, but its authority is much debated.”

The scriptural teaching of original sin, according to the majority, cannot be accepted in an educated society where humanism is the prevailing philosophy. It is much more acceptable to the culture in which we live to say that humans are basically good, and tolerance must be granted when people live in an immature way. This does not necessarily show a character defect, but simply immaturity or mental illness, which education and psychotherapy can correct.

Jesus’ words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me,” can be the seed of serious conflicts that might lead to war. This is the voice of millions in today’s society. A celebrity being interviewed on a talk show stated, “I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church, but have since left the Christian faith. I believe the teaching of ‘the only way’ is dangerous and extremely divisive. There are those who believe that the war we are now in is a religious war between Christians and Moslems with each one saying theirs is the right teaching and neither one willing to give in on this conviction.”

It is Christian convictions like these that make us a part of the minority. We can expect to be the recipients of people’s anger, laughter, and exclusion. It is at this point we say with the Psalmist, “I am a stranger to my brothers. They make fun of me and consider me to be ignorant and prejudiced.”

What do I do as a part of the minority? There are several options:
• You can join the majority, or at least muffle your minority belief in their presence.
• You can be a recluse and bask in your self-pity and self-righteousness.
• You can accept your minority role and turn to God for strength and grace to be a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus living in a post-Christian world.

You can find great strength and encouragement with fellow believers in an evangelical congregation. Where was the early Church on Easter evening? They were together in the upper room comforting and encouraging each other. We need the fellowship of believers. Worship, study, and prayer are necessary. The Christian is not an island unto him/herself.

I believe that, unless God intervenes in a very special way and there is a spiritual awakening in America, the Christian will experience his/her minority status in an ever-increasing way. Let’s remember that Biblical Christianity has never been attractive to the majority. Amen.

Amen.

Rev. Homer Larsen
Christian Crusaders