A Quick Word on the Duggars

Let me go ahead and preface this with the fact that on this subject I am biased. I've had nothing but bad experiences with the charismatic church and I was also sexually abused. It's difficult for me to look at the Duggar Scandal and not be angry. It is my duty, however, not to be angry about it.

I've been reading this absolutely fantastic book, Unoffendable by Brant Hansen, that talks about how we are biblically NOT entitled to our anger. One of the many scriptures Hansen cites is Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)-

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

All bitterness. All rage. All anger. A-L-L. Which is really hard for me because I'm a pro at being pissed about everything. I was really pissed when I got on Twitter Thursday evening and saw it erupting over this bad, bad situation. I was scrolling through Facebook this morning and I saw someone post an article about Josh Duggar being redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb and I got really, really mad. 

But if he knows Jesus then Josh Duggar has, indeed, been forgiven. 

That means that we as a Christian community are instructed to also forgive Josh Duggar. Grace- we're thankful for it until we have to extend it to someone else, huh?  While the rest of the world wants vengeance, we are the ones tasked with extending mercy. Extending prayer for the Duggars and the victims. Not talking junk about how much you "saw this coming" (I'm correcting myself here. Thursday night I posted something about how I saw something like this coming). 

One of the most polarizing factors of God being God and man being man is God can extend grace to anyone who may ask for it. If Charles Manson made the decision to make Jesus Lord of his life, grace would be extended to him. No purchase necessary. Man, however, would gladly have all the double standards needed to put a murderer to death but allow an adulterous spouse go free. The wages of sin is death but here in the twenty first century if you 'follow your heart' you'll end up where you're supposed to be, no matter who you hurt in the process as long as you didn't murder anyone.

In reality we have all murdered someone. We've all thought about curb-stomping someone. We've all lied and cheated. We've all allowed a lustful thought remain at the forefront of our minds for a little too long. Yet, God has grace for all of us. 

Do I think their show should be canceled? Yes. Their denim skirt wearing, picture perfect, split end variety of Christianity sends the opposite message of grace. (Side note, isn't not cutting your hair kind of idolizing it?). Now excuse me while I go observe the plank in my eye and the multitude of money I've spent on my own hair.

Will the show, instead, be canceled because Josh Duggar is a "monster" and the Duggar family is full of "enablers"? Probably. While the rest of the world gathers tar and feathers, we as Christians are commanded to love and forgive. That is radical. Imagine, loving someone that doesn't deserve it, just like the rest of us.