Spare Us

In Proverbs chapter 11, we can find a reminder about the distinct influence that God's people can have in our communities. The chapter says:
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.

The acts of the people of God can have a profound impact on the communities we are called to serve. We can accept the challenge to live according to the principles of Scripture and we can therefore be a blessing to the people around us.  When we live as the Church, the way we ought to live, certainly, there will be detractors, but you would hope that people would be drawn to live according to the way that leads to eternal and abundant life.  Our influence can literally save lives for eternity.

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Rather than complain about the moral decline throughout our nation, it is important that we are interceding, praying that hearts will be open and the God would work powerfully. In Genesis 18, the wicked city of Sodom was facing a crisis; judgment was imminent. Abraham, as a righteous man, chosen by God, had the ear of God - we can read these words, beginning here with Abraham:
24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
26 So the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes."

Abraham then began to rely on God's grace, and the number of 50 began to be reduced. In verse 32, the "final offer" is made:
32 Then he said, "Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten."
33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

We know that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, and yes, there was a family of six people - Lot, his wife, their two daughters, and their sons-in-law - who escaped.  What if Abraham had reduced the number to six?  The grace of God was certainly present. 

The issue of parental rights has been elevated across our country, and we are seeing parents who are appealing to educational authorities and taking hold of their God-given responsibility to do what they see is best for their children. The Bible says in Deuteronomy chapter 6:
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

And, while parents have that responsibility to lead their children, making sure that those whom they choose to educate their children are acting in a manner consistent with their principles they are learning at home, some Christian parents have taken the extra step and run for school board, so that they can have a greater say in the policies and curriculum of their local school systems, taking seriously their call to be salt and light in that way. 

Sonja Shaw is the President of the Chino Valley Unified School District in California, one of several districts that have taken steps recently to uphold the rights of parents to know important information about their students.  And, she has faced threats for her bold stand. The Christian Post reported:

Shaw, who was elected to the board last November, and others were apparently targeted after CVUSD adopted the parental notification policy in a 4-1 decision on July 20. That policy requires school officials to notify parents within three days of a student’s decision to identify with a gender “other than the student’s biological sex” or other official records.

At that July 20 meeting, Shaw had a confrontational exchange with Tony Thurmond, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction, who also attended the meeting to object to the policy’s passage on behalf of Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration.

The article notes that Shaw has been threatened, stating: "The threats of violence over the district’s parental notification policy, which the board passed in late July, has sparked an active police investigation that has led to at least one arrest." The article says:

While police say the first threat made was linked to a non-California resident and Chino police worked with local authorities on that case, “several other threatening messages, emails, and social media posts have been sent to members of the CVUSD Board” — including Shaw herself, who told CP there have been “voicemails threatening my life and now one other board member’s life.”

But, Shaw is reliant on the Lord during this challenging time. She is quoted as saying, “It’s no secret I’m a Christ follower.”  The Christian Post article states:

Shaw, a Chino native who is a wife and mother of two, is also a small business owner and leads a local Bible study.

She says her decision to run for the school board began during the COVID-19 lockdowns as California enacted some of the most stringent public health restrictions in the country.

“When the shutdown happened a few years ago is when so many of us parents got involved and things were revealed about the elected officials and they began exposing their intentions and focus,” Shaw said. “As more and more parents united, we knew they had no desire to listen to us.”

The Washington Stand website reports that California Attorney General Rob Bonta has "announced ...he has opened a civil rights investigation into 'potential legal violations' of notifying parents."  He calls the policy "forced outing" of transgender students. 

CBN reports today that Attorney General Bonta has filed legal action against the district to prevent the policy from being implemented.  Not a surprise, according to Sonja Shaw.  The article says:

Chino Valley Board President Sonja Shaw told ABC News the lawsuit is no surprise to her and the state has repeatedly taken steps "to shut parents out of their children's lives."

"We will stand our ground and protect our children with all we can because we are not breaking the law," she told the outlet. "Parents have a constitutional right in the upbringing of their children. Period."

Shaw and supporters say parents have a right to know the decisions their children are making in schools.

The Washington Stand article quotes attorney Laura Powell, who stated: "Bonta cites a general right to privacy under the state constitution, but fails to cite any case applying this right to gender identity, much less in the context of a child’s right to keeping information private from their parents..."  The article includes more from Powell, who said:

“Interestingly, the right to privacy for transsexualism is based on the idea that it’s a ‘profound psychiatric disorder,’ and people have a general right to keep their medical history private,” she wrote. “The question presented here is whether children have a right to keep serious psychiatric conditions they are suffering from secret from their parents,” she concluded.

The article include quotes from other experts:

“Parents, do we have your attention yet? The state is coming for your kids,” said Lance Christensen, vice president of California Policy Center. “Using case law that he knows to be incorrectly applied, the AG is going after a duly elected school district that implemented a policy completely consistent with current state law.” Bonta’s legal challenge proves that “California officials think the government should be parenting children,” according to the Education First Alliance.

The Christian Post article includes further statements from Shaw about the role of her Christian faith in her role:

“People from all over the nation have called, emailed and continue to write letters of support and saying this gave them hope,” she explained. “A few years ago, when I joined this journey, God kept showing me hope [in] Jeremiah 29:11.

“I have drawn closer and closer to God during this time and look to Him for direction and protection.”

From time to time, as I address the issue of civic engagement, I will challenge listeners to consider running for office themselves.  It's certainly a challenge to put yourself up for elective office, to run a campaign, and then to serve in that capacity if you are elected.  But, we need Christians in places of influence - many in our government have strayed from the values rooted in Judeo-Christian principles upon which our nation is founded.  One person, directed by and empowered by the Spirit of God, can have a dramatic impact in whatever sphere to which he or she is called. 

Sonja Shaw and other school board members in California devoted to upholding Christian principles have begun to make a difference.  We should never write off any city, county, state, or our nation just because ungodly principles have been embraced or implemented.  God was extremely graceful when He told Abraham that he would not pour his wrath on Sodom if he could find only 10 people who served God.  Only 10 - there are far more in our American cities in decline, way more than that in our nation.  There is a remnant, a Church who has been placed here by God to act in accordance with His Kingdom principles.  One could make the accusation: well, that's just Christian nationalism.  I believe that it's Biblical Christianity - to be desirous to make the glory of God known in every single aspect of life and culture.  Perhaps God is sparing the judgment we deserve in our nation because of the presence of His Church.