Nothing is Neutral

In the last 200 years Christianity's cultural influence has decreased. Beginning perhaps in the salons and coffeehouses before digging in at the academies, the idolatry of secularism has captured the heart and soul of the West. Secularism is the idea that we can sort everything into either the box labeled "God's" and the box labeled "Not God's." God is in charge of everything in his box, and we are in charge of everything in the other box. This is true, in a way: the only problem is who does the sorting. Because let's be real, if I tell you that you are in charge, but you're only in charge of things because I let you be, and I get to decide what things you're in charge of, then who is really in charge of everything? This guy.

Secularism doesn't want to divide up a complicated world into Church things and not church things. Rather, secularism implicitly dethrones God from the outset. Because in reality, everything is in God's box. Nothing even sticks out.

That's reality, but the water we swim in is secularism. And we find ourselves thinking along with that heresy by sheer momentum. Bible reading belongs to God; dishwashers belong to me. Sunday mornings from 9-11 belong to God (most of the time), and 9-5 Mon through Fri belongs to me. Theology belongs to God; math and history and economics and stuff belongs to me. But if you think this way, then actually you are the measure of all things, and thus nothing really matters because--let's face it--you're made of dirt.

But if everything is God's and exists for Him, then everything is charged with cosmic significance. Imagine a really good novel where every detail is chosen specifically and will be important later. You are living in that sort of story. It's immensely sprawling and gloriously tight at the same time. Every sphere you operate in and every minute of each day belongs to God, and nothing is neutral. Not even math.

And if math isn't neutral, then how you love your kids certainly isn't. You stand in a world that is upheld by the pulsing reverberations of the divine word. It is this personal, almighty God whom you serve. Don't forget it.