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Answering Controversy with Love

Gary Keesee • Oct 02, 2017

NFL player Colin Kaepernick started a movement to take a knee during the national anthem in protest of police brutality, and the nation has been up in arms ever since. The last couple of weeks could have passed for election season with all of the drama that’s been stirring on Facebook.
Are you kneeling? Standing? Running? Flying? Hopping on one leg? Okay, maybe only a few of those things are actually up for debate. The unfortunate thing is the cause behind this whole uproar was to put an end to racial slander and profiling, but the result has been a far cry from bringing more peace or healing to our nation. In fact, the cracks in the surface have only been magnifying. And that’s a sad reality we should all take to heart.

I’ve heard so many people complain, “That’s it! I’m taking a break from social media. Every time I get on here, I leave feeling STRESSED OUT.”

I have even received screenshots of the horrible comments that have transpired between people over this topic. Not between strangers, but between people who see each other every weekend at church.

That’s why I feel so passionate about writing this.

I’m not here to say whether it’s right or wrong for Kaepernick to take a knee during the national anthem. *Far more important than whether Kaepernick is “disrespecting America” or not in his actions is whether we as the body of Christ are disrespecting each other in ours.*

**How Jesus Handled Controversy**

Jesus wasn’t afraid of controversy—He constantly broke social norms and sported unpopular opinions. So, that brings up the question: How do we engage in controversy in a healthy way, like Jesus did?

The key is that Jesus spoke the truth in a way that people could receive. He spoke the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15). It’s impossible to speak the truth in love if we are coming from a place of anger, self-righteousness, or simply seeking to stir up drama. When we are tempted to share an opinion or engage in a lively Facebook debate, we have to stop and ask ourselves, *Who does this benefit? Is this only to benefit me and my pride, or will this edify those who read it?*

We must choose to stand on the side of love, *period*. If we aren’t operating out of love, then the Bible compares us to a clanging cymbal. It’s just a whole lot of noise!

Unity is forged in our willingness to see the situation from the other person’s perspective. When we look at it from different angles, we can see where everyone is coming from. We may not always agree on the particulars, but love gives us a common vision.

When we stand in agreement, we have the victory. What awesome power there is in unity!

It is possible for everyone’s heart to be right—even when we’re coming from two sides of the same coin. *Someone* doesn’t have to lose for *everyone* to win.

Strife is a dangerous game you don’t want to play. You may win the argument, but strife comes at a high cost. It opens the door to the enemy, robs you of your peace, and short-circuits God’s access into your life.

Titus 3:9-10 encourage us,

> But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them.”

**How Can We Bring Healing to Our Nation?**

This whole frenzy over taking a knee has drawn us away from the real point—and that’s to bring love and healing to our nation.

You may not agree with the manner the message was conveyed, but I’m *sure* no one actually wants more racial slander, profiling, or disunity in our nation. So we have to allow this situation to spark the thought, *How can I make things better for my brothers and sisters in Christ? How can I be a force of love, every single day, toward everyone I encounter?*

The Bible tells us how, and it’s so simple, it’s almost easy to discount. When we replace judgment, strife, and hate with what Jesus did, the outcome is POWERFUL.

**1. Love others the way Christ loves you.**

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).

**2. Forgive—even when it’s hard. **

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).

**3. Extend the same kindness to others you wish they would extend to you. **

“Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).

Those three, simple things are how Jesus went head-to-head with the social norms in His day. They’re effective, they’re powerful, and most importantly, they help to *unite* us, rather than divide us.

Jesus was willing to die on the cross to spread the good news of love for everyone, no matter the color of their skin. Let’s help carry that same message of love to the world.

5 Steps to Release the Kingdom in Your Life

By Gary Keesee • 10 Apr, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 13 secs – In John 6, we read the story of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Do you know it? It’s where we see Jesus teaching the disciples how to release the Kingdom of God into the earth realm. Basically, a large crowd was following Jesus, listening to Him teach, and watching Him perform miracles. It got to a point where the people needed to eat, and Jesus asked the disciples what they planned to feed the people. Of course, Jesus knew the disciples would freak out. They couldn’t feed 5,000 people. In fact, they started talking about how it would take more than half a year’s wages to buy just a bite for that many people. Jesus was teaching the disciples, and He was teaching us— the Kingdom of God has all the answers you need . How can you release the Kingdom of God into your life? Here are the five steps Jesus took. 1. Look at what you have. Jesus asked the disciples what they had to feed the people. What do you have in your life that you can give God to work with? Jesus multiplied bread into bread and fish into fish. What do you need multiplied in your life? Find some of it. That’s your seed. Also, remember that money can be named. You don’t sow money to believe for more paper or digital money. Money represents your life and can be named to be the thing you need multiplied. 2. Make sure you’re in faith. “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1, GNT). You have to know how to judge whether or not you’re in faith. How? Do you have the right picture? When you close your eyes, what do you see? Do you see yourself with the thing you’re believing for? Can you defend your position? Why do you believe it? Prove it! Because you can be sure that between the “Amen” and the “There it is!” the enemy is going to contend for it, so you better be able to defend it. Do you have joy, expectancy, and peace? Are you in agreement with your spouse? 3. Confess over what you have, and release it in faith. Be specific. Say exactly what you’re believing for and release the seed to God. 4. Get the plan from God. Be ready for new direction, new ideas, and new concepts by revelation from the Holy Spirit. Carry a notepad and a pen. Write everything down. 5. Act quickly! When God gives you the plan, MOVE! It’s wise to have counselors and get wisdom, but you need to act swiftly on any direction you receive from the Holy Spirit.

Want Growth and Success? Here Are 10 Steps to Help Take You There

By Gary Keesee • 13 Mar, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 34 secs – How can you make sure you’re equipped for the growth coming your way this year? Here are my 10 steps to posture yourself for opportunity and success. 1. Ask yourself how you’re handling your current responsibilities. Don’t run from your responsibilities. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you should be a success. People will still see the evidence of God even if you think you’re in the wrong spot. 2. Detox your life of the things that keep you from having time to think. We live in a fast-paced world. There are plenty of things that can keep you distracted. But it’s in the moments that you stop to think that you’ll find ways to solve problems, and that’s where the opportunities are. So figure out what is consuming your time. Start saying no to some things. Find time to think. 3. Don’t hang around people who are always losing. I know people hit rough spots, but if the people in your life are chronically losing, it’s time to expand your circle. Hang around people who are better than you are, who don’t see things as impossible, and who have vision. It may be uncomfortable for you, but their influence will cause you to think differently. 4. Write down EVERY idea that you have, no matter how strange it seems. Most people filter opportunities and ideas through what they perceive their ability to be. This means most people discard ideas by the dozens because they don’t think they can do them. But God isn’t limited to what you know how to do. The ideas He gives you might seem so weird to you that you can’t process them fully. Write them down so you have time to think about them. 5. Research. Research. Repeat. You don’t need to know how to do something; you need to know how to learn how to do it. Research until you find what you’re looking for. 6. Count the cost before you jump. A lot of Christians hear God and jump out too soon, resulting in catastrophe. There are seasons for everything. God will prepare you for where He wants you to go. Be patient. 7. Always be in agreement with your spouse. Never, ever march out into battle without your spouse being in total agreement and your faith aligned. 8. Ask God for direction. Ask Him to help you, to show you where to go, and what to do. And always remember that prophecy from other people shouldn’t lead you; it should only confirm what God has already said to you. 9. Commit to never quit. Quitting is not an option. Once you’ve moved, don’t move again until God speaks to you. Stay with it. Walk it out. Don’t quit. So many people have so much potential, but they get uncomfortable and they quit. If you want to win, you should always be stretching. 10. Get ready to embrace bigger things. Your ability to see the big picture will keep growing as you change and grow on the inside. You’ll pick up on even more opportunities. For more principles, check out this FREE video on success.

The Consequences of Strife: Why You Should Never Allow It in Your Life

By Drenda Keesee • 14 Feb, 2024
Reading Time 2 mins 59 secs – A stuffed toy laid in the road at the scene of the accident. As we passed, the Lord spoke to me, “ Okay, this is your last warning. Are you going to continue this? You know you are opening the door to the enemy.” Gary and I had had a disagreement just before we had left the house for our family road trip. And there we were six hours in and we’d barely said a word to one another. Six hours. You think driving from Ohio to Tennessee is a long stretch of highway? Try doing it while giving someone the silent treatment. One word: torture. Then we passed the accident. Gary and I both felt the same conviction when we passed it, especially because it clearly involved children. But... pride. We knew what we were doing wasn’t good. (What kind of example is it to your children to ignore each other?) But neither of us wanted to lay down our pride. I kept hearing the voice of the Lord, and I’d think, No, I’m not going to fix this thing, because then I’ll have to talk to him. It was almost a competition to see who could hold our grudge for the longest. But strife is dangerous stuff. What is strife? Drama, conflict, friction, disagreement, bickering, arguing, bad blood, disputes… whichever words you use to describe it, it’s dangerous. Whether it’s between you and your spouse, you and your child, you and a friend, you and a family member, or you and a coworker, you don’t want to let strife remain in your life. The Bible says that where there is strife, there is confusion and there is every evil work (James 3:16). Our small argument between Gary and I had gone unchecked and had escalated, and neither one of us were listening to the voice of the Lord. And there were consequences for our strife and outright disobedience. About an hour after we passed the accident, a car pulled out in front of our vehicle, and we were in what could have been a very serious car accident. I started yelling the name of Jesus, and God supernaturally protected our entire family. Initially, it looked as though there were going to be serious issues. They told us our son’s spleen might rupture. I was pregnant, and the doctors worried that I might lose the baby. Through all of these things, we stood on the Word of God, and we all came out unharmed, including the young preacher’s son who had pulled out in front of us (he was in disobedience at that moment too). Even in the midst of this difficult situation, through our prayers, standing on God’s Word, and our children’s words to the medical personnel, we had opportunities to minister and impact the little county hospital we had to visit. The enemy tried to take us out, but he lost. We were responsible for opening the door to the enemy. But the name of Jesus is more powerful than our mistakes and circumstances, and that is what kept us protected. You MUST stay on guard and not allow strife in your life, with anyone. How? Here are just three quick tips: Bite your tongue. You don’t have to say everything you think. Don’t lash out or give the silent treatment. Work on communicating with others in a healthy way. Repent quickly and forgive quickly. Take responsibility; admit when you’re wrong. Say you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness. Don’t hold onto hurts. Forgive as you’ve been forgiven by Jesus.
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