I would like to send out a word of encouragement to all of you. 

If you read this blog post each week, you know I believe in “voting our choices” by choosing how we spend our time and money. Our “voices” matter in this culture, even if we choose not to shout. 

In fact, our voices matter so much more than we realize. 

There is every reason to have hope in the future if we will continue to “vote our message” with our time and our dollars.

Christians should be “proud”

I once wrote a blog post about a high-profile retailer’s choice to allow men to use the dressing room or bathroom of their “choice.” Since that time, there have been multiple reported instances of men being chased out of retail stores by angry parents and customers who saw them illegally and immorally using their cell phones to film young girls trying on clothes, lingerie, and bathing suits. Some women have felt violated by some men who entered the women’s restrooms because they chose to see themselves as women. 

Undeterred by these facts, the retailer announced their “Pride Month” campaign back in June.Subsequently an August CNN article reported their quarterly sales fell for the first time in six years. The article blamed “right-wing backlash.” 

I’m proud to be part of the group of people who choose to shop elsewhere whenever possible. Obviously, our voice counts at the registers, even if it doesn’t count with those writing the store policies. I’m not really sure what constitutes being part of the “right wing” the article mentioned, but biblically I know I want to live “right with God ” and be consistent with his word. 

Do our voices make a difference?

I’ve also been vocal about my disappointment in the obvious changes a major television network has made. A recent CNBC article reported that this channel’s viewership is down 20 percent since 2018. They continue to create movies that celebrate the gay lifestyle. 

I have encouraged my readers to check out the Great American Family channel as a good alternative.  

This network is listed as “TV’s fastest-growing network for the ninth consecutive month after closing out July up 143% in Total Day Household ratings and leading all networks in year-over-year viewership increases. According to Nielsen Media Research, Great American Family also retained its position as TV’s fastest-growing network in 2023 to-date with the largest gains in Total Day Households (+165%) and Total Viewers (+161%); and Primetime Households (+141%) and Total Viewers (+139%).” 

Forgive all the “stats,” but the numbers tell the story. Our voices and our values matter more than we might have realized. 

The way we spend our time and our money is something that goes virtually unreported but not unnoticed. We need to continue to live out our values and our choices, quietly proud to live according to God’s truth rather than a cultural opinion. 

What can we hope for in the future?

Biblically, “hopes” and “wishes” are two different things. There are those companies who have chosen to take their hits and wait out the so-called “right-wing” values, believing those values will die off in a generation. I hope they are wrong, but I wish more young people were speaking up and voting with their dollars.  

Truthfully, our hope is in Christ. He has the power to change a person’s character. God’s word has the power of truth for all who will faithfully believe. The Holy Spirit is at work in the life of every Christian who yields to his leadership. Christians will always have hope for our future, but we can only wish for a better future with our culture. God created people to have free will choices, and we live with the consequences of those who don’t yield their free will to God’s plan and purpose. 

Paul taught us how to wait with hope

Paul wrote to Titus, his friend and brother in Christ, saying, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11–14). 

I pray the church in America will experience widespread renewal and revival. We need to be about the “good works” God has planned for us to accomplish. We never have to wonder if God can “fix things.” We do need to question if we are allowing God to use our lives to do his good work in the world.  

Paul taught that if we want to see God do mighty and great works in our culture then God’s people need to be “zealous for good works.” God’s word teaches us to “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.” Paul said we are to “live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” while we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of” Jesus. 

God has given us everything we need to “redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession.”  

When Christians see “bad news” on TV, we need to accept the fact that we haven’t been living the “good news” as clearly as we should. We know God saves. We know people are “born again” in Christ Jesus. We know we are called to be “his disciples” everywhere we go. We know we are called to be salt and light in a world that needs both. 

What is the hope we can hope for?

The writer of the CNN article would probably label me as “right wing,” but, truthfully, my goal is simply to be “right” with God. Paul told the church in Rome how to live with great hope. He said, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).  

Our choices do matter. We can see the statistics now, but one day we will live with the eternal rewards our choices have produced. Jesus wants us to live “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” as we wait for Jesus, “our blessed hope.”  

So, enjoy a show on the Great American Family channel and shop your values. We can pray for renewal and revival among God’s children as we wait for our “blessed hope, our Savior,” to return. Our voices and our choices are making a difference. 

We should feel proud to live faithfully to the truth of God’s word.