Free

Anger is not attractive, and the desire to win in our rhetoric can often be counterproductive in winning
someone's heart. Paul gives instruction in Colossians 4:
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

We could use some more respect in our culture - we can be steadfast in the truth of Scripture and determined to live it out, but we can reflect the character of Christ in our relationships with others. Instead of trying to shut another person down, we should have the attitude of opening their heart to the truth that we desire to share.  And, when we feel ostracized for our Christianity, we can continue to live with a desire to glorify the Lord in all we do and say.

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We are called to be characterized, as servants of Christ, as people of grace when it comes to our human 
interaction. Ephesians 4 states:
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Students across our land are back in school, to some degree, with some schools offering in-person instructions, other going virtual due to the COVID-19 concerns, and others offering a combination. And, while colleges and universities are trying to effectively deal with the spread of COVID, a new survey shows that there are concerns of a different nature regarding the spread of free speech, or lack thereof.

The Epoch Times reports on a new survey by the organization, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, in partnership with RealClearEducation. The article describes the study as the "largest ever survey focusing on freedom of speech on U.S. college campuses," and students expressed concerns over their ability to express their opinion, especially if it could be considered the minority one.

For instance, "Sixty percent of students can recall at least one time during their college experience when they did not share their perspective because they feared how their peers, professors, or school officials would respond..."  Conservatives, by a 72-55 margin over liberals, were more likely to censor themselves. And, "More than 42 percent of the students believe their college would punish a student who expresses his or her controversial or 'offensive' ideas instead of defending the speaker’s freedom of speech."

The topic on college campuses that is the most “difficult to have an open and honest conversation about?" Abortion - with 45 percent saying it is the most difficult. That is followed by race, at 43%, gun control at 41%, and transgender issues at 40.

Around 20,000 students at 55 schools were surveyed, and the schools were ranked according to how much freedom of speech students felt they had.  The University of Chicago ranked best in the area of free speech and DePauw University (with a "W" on the end), a school in Indiana, ranked last.  Chicago administrators were praised by conservative students for making sure their opinions were not marginalized, but as the article points out, "most of the UChicago students’ responses published in the survey expressed fear of being bullied by other students because of their unpopular opinions."

RealClearEducation editor Nathan Harden is quoted in the article; he said: “A university should be a lively marketplace of ideas—a place where different beliefs and opinions can be discussed, analyzed, and challenged with widest possible freedom,” adding, “If students don’t feel free to speak their minds, or if they aren’t exposed to diverse points of view, it greatly diminishes the value of their education.”

Got a question, as a believer, do you create a safe environment around you?  Do people feel the ability to speak freely around you?  We can certainly be firm in our convictions, but forthright in our compassion, as well.  We can speak the truth, but we can listen authentically when people express their views.  It's about respect as fellow human beings.

We should be so strong in our Biblical values that we are not intimidated by the views of others. Ultimately, all of us will more than likely disagree about something, and we can disagree without resorting to excluding others from discussion.

We are living in challenging times that call for boldness for the body of Christ - we can strive to be bold to speak about God's perspective & His work in our lives.