(If I want to work against what I know to be wrong, I need to start with myself. What parts of unrighteousness also live inside of me? What can I do to keep my God-given capabilities intact, sharpened and focused? How do I survive self-destructive forces? Today a focus on those who want to be *resistors….)
The conversations
One way to combat injustice is to talk about it. Or so it seems. We come to understand what we’re up against, put our analytical brains to work and gather courage and insight from others. Resistance conversations can be helpful.
We might think that we’ve corrected a situation just by talking about it. (Thousands of seminars, books, social media posts, blogs and meetings could illustrate this point.) But the time and energy we use to describe a problem may also strengthen the wrong we’re trying to correct. If our brains are devoted only to dissecting evil ideas and actions, they may not have enough space or energy to engage in the elimination of the injustice that we have so thoroughly explained.
Instead, we can engage with others in conversations that foster realistic hope, tell stories of success, bubble with ingenuity, comfort the broken-hearted and encourage leaders actively working to right what’s wrong. We can think outside of boxes, soar towards imagined futures, remember those who taught us, rejoice in changed hearts, teach and learn alongside others, refuel our resolve and find new compatriots.
In conversational contexts, we can also help bolster our defenses against dismay, depression or worse. We can grow as examples of Gospel-living. We can discover new intimacies among friends and family, receiving and offering new benedictions (good words). We might deepen our reliance on spiritual disciplines, especially prayer and Scripture reading. Conversations could give us better ways to express what’s true, holy, beautiful or awesome. We can be drawn towards the Spirit’s gifts and Jesus’ teachings. Self-care might come more readily.
When they’re embedded in conversations, words are formidable. Resistance and resistors benefit from the power of God’s words. Thankfully, we’re surrounded by all of them!
*A metaphor, not a typo. In electronics, a resistor is a small device that reduces current flow, adjusts signals, separates voltages and ends transmission. Resistors dissipate electrical power, and help circuits work effectively. They can be found everywhere. Resistors might be necessary in political power systems. (The metaphor doesn’t extend very well out of Ohm’s Law or potentiometers. You could try, though….)
