The open and outright mockery of Christ and the belittling of the Christian faith in the name of tolerance is not a new evil. We live in a world that has rid itself of objective morality and instead has settled for a new ideal, the joke of tolerance.

Why do I call it a joke? Well, because tolerance, in reality, does not exist. If you tolerate everything then you stand for nothing. Do you tolerate intolerance? If you are consistent, you should treat both tolerance and intolerance as equally good.

When you no longer hold to truth as objective you begin to believe the lie that each one can have his own truth, even if they contradict or are in conflict. That redefines truth into something that contradicts itself. It is trying to legitimise subjectivity by calling it truth and veering far from reality. Truth is not whatever you want it to be, Truth is a person, and His name is Jesus (Jn 14:6). He is Lord of all, Creator of all and sustains all things by His very being (Col 1:16-17). Truth is not something we can make up for ourselves. He is a person we must come to know.  

By rejecting Christ and placing tolerance as the world’s highest value, we facilitate the worship of anything other than Christ. This is what happened at the opening ceremony of the Olympics. We act shocked, but should we be? This is the natural by-product of a world that has abandoned truth. A portrayal of, what I am calling, the “Lost Supper”, an apt visual representation of the hearts of man.

What was your response? Outrage? Indignation? Disbelief in the ridiculous double standards of inclusivity? Why is it okay to offend one group but not another? When we rejected truth, we stepped out of the rational long ago.

Let me offer another perspective though. As evil and grotesque as this was, what if rather than calling for their heads, we began calling for their hearts? When I consider the brokenness I see here, I am reminded of how desperately the world needs to know Christ. The real Jesus, not misrepresentations of Him. The Jesus who loved us when we were unlovable. The Jesus who died for us while we mocked and belittled Him. The Jesus who gave everything so that we could be restored, reborn and have our hearts and desires changed.

What if our response to those who are clearly lost, is compassion? Let these moments be a wake-up call to the mission of the Church. To the commission of every Christ follower. To share the good news of Jesus and make disciples, those who obey all He has commanded (Matt 28:19-20). To pray for those who do not know him and to live in such a way that our lives offer worship to the one true God. Rather than respond as the world does by crying out as victims, Peter calls us, as the persecuted, to live doing openly good deeds that can only point to God (1 Pet 2:12).

Make no mistake, God will not be mocked. I love the second Psalm, the one that the New Testament tells us is about Jesus (Acts 4:24-28). I suggest spending some time reflecting on it. The nations mock God, but He remains Lord of all and will ultimately bring judgement to those who continue to reject Him.

The Olympic ceremony was just one picture of the path of destruction that all walk in until they follow Christ. Let us, in response, be carriers, promoters and examples of the good news. The way of life is open to any who would turn from their own path and follow Him.

While we are revolted by evil, and there is no other way to describe this, we also remember that people are not the enemy. Sin and Satan is. People are trapped, deceived and deluded, but we know a way out. Let us never keep that good news to ourselves.