A Series of Unpopular Opinions | #1/#2/#3

There I sat, on the manure-covered floor in a tiny corner of a barn.

Goats pranced around me as I watched this dream scene taking place on the other side of the barn which had been transformed from its original humble use into an elaborate event center. Everything glowed. Wood floors and beams gleamed in the soft light. Ladies in sequenced gowns glittered under the glow of the festoon lighting adorning the rustic beams. Men decked out in dashing tuxedos exuded an artificial light of their own. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

However, the dreamland music, dancing, and laughter were a stark contrast to the dirty corner of the barn where I now sat. I watched as the waiters served champagne and fine foods, gracefully weaving in and out of the elite guests whom I had just been trying to serve as well.

I looked down at the rejected fare I had been attempting to offer moments before.

Broccoli.

Plain, uncooked broccoli—not even plated.

I shouldn’t be surprised no one wanted what I was serving. It was fresh and healthy–it had that going for it–but it was no match for the rich foods and drinks being offered. No one wanted to think about nutrition in the midst of such elegance and decadent treats. (Plus, who wants to get looked at funny because you have green stuff in your teeth?)

So, I now found myself in the shadows of the back corner surrounded by goats and manure, raw broccoli in hand. It seemed odd how the people at the party had no idea this little corner of the barn was here in its original state. They continued to float along to the music, dazzling each other with their overly-white smiles, oblivious to the reality in the corner.

The next scene of my dream revealed I wasn’t alone with the animals.

Behind me, a little boy played with a stick in the soiled dirt as his mother sat on a fallen beam nearby. The grubby child spotted the broccoli lying forgotten on my lap. I reached out to offer him some but his mother quickly slapped his hand away before he could touch it. Even the child who wanted it wasn’t allowed to eat my broccoli and was instead made to wait for indulgent party scraps.

When I awoke, of course, there was no barn, no shining party, no bleating goats or manure, and no broccoli. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to pay attention to this dream. I pondered and prayed… What did it mean?

I believe the Lord showed me that the broccoli represents truth.

{Related: Does God Communicate With Christians Through Dreams Today?}

We are living in a time in which truth has become increasingly unpalatable to the masses.

There are many people, not only “in the world” but also in the church who have been caught up by the beautiful, glittering façade of appearances. They seek after that which looks sparkling and beautiful and prefer tasty morsels, sweet to the tongue but damaging to the soul. People are so caught up in living the beautiful, “feel good” life that they’ve become oblivious to the reality that is right next to them.

That which looks good and beautiful isn’t always healthy but is often more appealing than say… broccoli. Even though they know broccoli is better for them, they’ll choose a sweet indulgence instead of the healthy option.

Like broccoli, truth isn’t usually the most popular choice.

Like decadent desserts, people will often choose something a little tastier, a little more pleasing to the palate than truth. The Bible warns us of this:

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3, NIV

As in certain times before, we are living in an age where “truth has been thrown to the ground.” Standing for truth has become increasingly unpopular. Following and living out truth in its purest form may result in some stinky situations– like being unpopular, criticized, looked at strangely…or even outright persecuted.

Yes, “we are living in interesting times.”

Division and arguments are commonplace. Depravity is running rampant. What was once unthinkable has become “normal” in segments of our misguided society. Yet, it seems we all agree on one thing: life is interesting (strange, difficult, scary, chaotic, uncertain, irritating… any number of descriptors fit) right now. The world is hurting.

It can be easy to feel outraged toward acts we personally find unthinkable.

But in the midst of it all, I feel compelled to ask… how has our society gotten to this place? And, what is our part in contributing to the breakdown of morals that has brought us to this point?

We didn’t suddenly arrive here overnight.

The degradation of a society happens in incremental steps– ways that may seem subtle but have a far-reaching impact as truth wrongly becomes more and more subjective. As uncomfortable as it could be to admit, we may all play a role in the moral decline.

Examples of Subtle Steps

• Maybe we know we should read our Bible, but our favorite show is on so we push the Bible aside intending to read it later.
• Or perhaps we’ve allowed social media to take priority over our time in study and prayer.
• Might we be working to pad our bank accounts more than storing up treasures in heaven by serving the least of these?
• Could it be we’ve allowed popular authors to influence our opinions more than the Word of God?
• Are we blindly following the latest cultural trends without testing everything against Scripture?
• It might be even more subtle than that…Maybe we’re running to every conference and Bible study out there trying to find our calling and purpose. Yet, for some of us, our true calling and purpose are being left home without their mother or father several nights a week while we keep busy doing “good” things.

Who should fault us for that?

Maybe no one.

But even that which appears good can, in fact, be detrimental.

There are many ways our own seemingly innocent choices have helped bring our society to the place it is.

And, when the masses have thrown truth to the ground, it is imperative that those of us clinging tightly to biblical truth hold it up high as a standard of light– no matter how unpopular it has become.

In upcoming posts, we will be exploring some areas where deception has crept in and the truth may need to be upheld, in “A Series of Unpopular Opinions.”

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I will attempt to serve up this “broccoli” as graciously and prayerfully as possible.

Next on the menu:

• Why I Changed my Mind About the Enneagram (& Other Personality Tests)

 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:5