Five helpful results to move beyond injustice

The term”Woke” has seemingly changed its primary meaning over the last couple years. Instead of being a past tense of ‘wake’, it has acquired an adjective meaning:  ‘alert to injustice in society (especially racism).’  I know  injustice is wrong, and we should strive to do something positive about it.  In general I dislike the term, ‘woke’. I hope it is a passing term that will disappear from common vernacular in a few years. For now I find myself asking, how can we move beyond these feelings, where many are willing to physically hurt others, in the midst of protest, in the name of their beliefs? How can we find results beyond woke?

As a Christian, I am willing to defend my faith against injustice as long as it can be done without harm to others.  Sadly, there is both a political dimension and an amoral dimension to woke culture.  As an example, BLM  quietly maintains a communist agenda and backing. Another alt-left group, known as Antifa, is opposed to authoritarianism and racism. Nevertheless, both groups tend to be amoral since they seek results against police and espouse violence. The result of hurting others is not a good goal.

We can make a case that woke culture has actually been known since at least Old Testament times, even if the term has not.  The woke culture of the Bible represent people who have consistently been sensitized to injustices against God. This culture was sometimes violent against governments who opposed God.  Since they were acting on behalf of God’s command, at least their morality was arguably positive. Of course, there are many noteworthy stories where God’s people were rightly punished when they disobeyed God’s direction.

In the New Testament, there is occasional sleeping terminology which is not literal,  but it is effectively referring to a ‘woke’  culture.  1 Corinthians 15:18 says “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.”  As Christians, we have to be a woke culture that will not stand for injustice, and we must be willing to follow God’s direction to move beyond injustice.

Results beyond Woke

My bible study on ‘woke-ness” comes from Acts. We want results that will move us beyond injustice. with  lessons that move us beyond insensitivities to culture.

Acts 20 ⁷ On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. ⁹ Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.

¹⁰ Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” ¹¹ Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. ¹² The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Lets highlight results to get beyond injustice, in a study, verse by verse.

Acts 20:7

The idea of getting together to break bread before we have to be separated by distance once again is a contemporary threat in these days of quarantine. We long to get together in these days of Covid. With the threat of separation, our desire is to linger and lengthen the meeting times in any way we can.

Acts 20:8

 You may wonder, why the need to mention ‘many lamps’. A lot of lamps would mean the room is well lit,  in this early christian church setting. Metaphorically it creates the problem of smoke – which can cloud thinking and  vision if there is too much of it. The problem then and now can also be that lots of smoke provides a distraction. Lots of smoke can lull sensibilities and draw our attention away. We need to be aware that in these days when we are trying to pay attention to our faith, there are things in this world that will draw us away, and lull our sensibilities. Beware the lull in sensibilities.

Acts 20:9

We have to draw a careful distinction on the healing of Eutychus. He was ‘picked up dead’. Based on those words we have the miracle of a young man restored to life by Paul’s healing touch. The passage does not explain the state of his body after being raised to life.