Let me introduce you to our dog, Suubi (pronounced “Suu-Bee”).

In 2005, our family spent time with some beautiful parentless children in Suubi Village in Uganda Africa. “Suubi” means “hope” in the Lugandan language. We kind of liked it. Thought it would be a good name for our dog.

Suubi is a goldendoodle. (Half golden retriever/half standard poodle) By nature, she’s a great companion and fiercely loyal.

It’s a great day for Suubi when she can catch a frisbee or go out on the lake.

She’s fanatical – even somewhat rabid – when it comes to chasing squirrels . . . and fish in the water. She can’t help herself. It’s in her DNA.

When my husband tells her to calm down and sit, she’ll sit – but you can see her muscles quiver as she restrains herself.

Suubi’s Love For Her Master

Suubi adores my husband. When she hears his voice, her love for him – and loyalty to him – win out. She chooses to obey him even when bushy tails tempt her mercilessly as they scamper across the grass.

Your Love for Yours

Some of you have fallen in love with – and are fiercely loyal to – your master whose name just happens to be God. You have a very close relationship with him through his son, Jesus.

You have learned to recognize his “voice” because you’ve spent a lot of time reading the words he inspired men to write down for our benefit.

Because of your relationship with him, you have a pretty good understanding of what makes him happy – and what hurts his heart.

Your love for – and loyalty to – him give you a strong desire to live a life that makes him smile.

And some of you are being hammered for it.

Some of you have even had your livelihood ripped from you (Senior Master Sergeant Phillip Monk, Jason and David Benham, Christian farmers) – impacting your entire family and your ability to provide for them.

The attacks have come at you from family, co-workers, and friends.

Pressure to be an Open-Minded Christian

People tell you to be more open-minded. In fact, they demand it. Sometimes it seems like they want to beat you into submission.

The “open-mindedness” they’re talking about requires embracing and accepting all behaviors, beliefs, and lifestyles as right and good and true.

When you don’t, you’re “demonized” and accused of being evil, uncompassionate, arrogant, ignorant, cruel, cold, etc.

I know it hurts. I know it’s caught you off guard. But there are some things you need to remember. There’s truth you need to hold onto.

1) Remember – you are openminded!

When someone tells you to be more open-minded, ask them:

“What is it you want me to be open-minded to?”

The truth is: We’re all open-minded to something.

Non-religious people are typically more apt to be open-minded to the world and its values.

True Christ-followers are more likely to be open-minded to God and his values

Yeah. Most Christ-followers have closed their minds to some of the world’s values. Non-Christians are guilty of the same thing. Many have closed their minds to God’s values.

2) Don’t cave in.

Jesus said the world would hate you because it hated him. The world in general is hostile to God so they’ll be hostile to you.

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also..” John 15:19-21

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.” 1 John 2:15

You don’t belong to the world. You belong to God. He strengthens those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

3) Go back to your Bible

Remind yourself of God’s values. Keep pursuing the truth about him.

“To cultivate a mind so broad that it can tolerate every opinion, without ever detecting anything in it to reject, is not a virtue; it is the vice of the feeble-minded. It can degenerate into an unprincipled confusion of truth with error and goodness with evil.” John Stott

4) It’s natural for you to think differently.

When you began following Christ, a process kicked into motion. He began transforming you. Part of the transformation occurs in your mind.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24

He purges the old way of thinking and causes you to think more like him. The things that are important to him become important to you.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

“To submit our minds under Christ’s yoke is not to deny our rationality but to submit to his revelation.” John Stott

5) Be patient with those who attack you.

My neighbor’s dog doesn’t understand our dog’s love for her master because he doesn’t have a relationship with her owner. It’s pretty impossible for non-Christians to understand your new way of thinking because they don’t have a relationship with God.

Be respectful of their viewpoints even when they aren’t respectful of yours. When you internally reject worldly belief systems, be careful not to reject the people associated with them. Love them the best you can.

6) Be ready with a good response.

The next time someone tells you to be a more open-minded Christian, tell them you are open-minded – and use it as an opportunity to share some of the things you’re open-minded about. Here are some ideas.

Your mind is open to:

The truth about God.

God’s ways.

God’s teachings and instructions in the Bible.

God’s standards.

God’s heart.

The things that make God smile.

Ask them what they’re open-minded to.

7) Realize you are not alone.

Many Christ-followers are being persecuted around the world. In the U.S., there is an internal war going on. An increasing number of those with worldly viewpoints are trying to bully those with opposing viewpoints into submission – without an argument.

It’s time for us to begin bravely standing up for each other. We can counter rude comments and attacks on our friends with positive and supportive comments.

What We Need to Ask Ourselves

We’re all feeling the pressure to be more “open-minded” to the world’s values. So we have to ask ourselves:

What are we going to open our minds to?

What kinds of things will we allow to shape our beliefs and actions?

Whose principles are we going to align ourselves with?”

When you decide to open your mind to God’s ways, stand on those beliefs unashamed. Your “master” is worthy of your loyalty.

Have you been persecuted for your beliefs? How have you dealt with it?

Lisa~