The Veil of Propriety

Early in my career, our digital agency staff went to lunch at a burger joint. While we sat and ate our burgers, the president of the company announced that I would henceforth have a new nickname. He dubbed me Mister Confrontational. I was a bit surprised. In my world, conflict is typically caused by a disagreeable sort of person who has staked their identity in proving other people wrong.

There's nothing wrong with taking a stand against error. But if that's all you ever do, what do you really stand for, right? Standing against injustice is important, but abundant, life-changing life spreads through love, joy, goodness, and kindness.

So while conflict is necessary, it's not meant to be identity. And yet, I'm here to talk to you about conflict. See what I did there?

Over the course of generations, we have adopted new layers of propriety. There's so little we can say freely now without being labeled one wretched thing or another. There's a fine line between avoiding hate speech and reducing freedom of expression to a meaningless propriety.

While I don't wish to be remembered as Mister Confrontational, there's a mission before us that must be accomplished. The veil of propriety must be torn in two. Like the thick veil in the temple separating everyday people from the manifest presence of God, the veil of propriety separates believers from unrestricted dynamic Ministry. The word in due season is often blunt and abrasive. Not rude and unkind. But it doesn't play by the rules of propriety. It doesn't pretend that everything is okay when it's not. It doesn't mask pain behind pride or fear of exposure. 

The dynamic and powerful demonstration of God's love doesn't flirt with shadows. It doesn't acquiesce to political correctness. Don't get me wrong: the ministry of God doesn't expose every sin or pain. It is more balm and healing. Think of the love you'd have for a child who needs to have a festering bandage removed in order to receive vital soothing and disinfecting oils. This is very much a love process. At all times. 

Propriety holds a list of what is permissible to confront. And the list is brief. But God's love touches all things. It applies to all matters. There are no "off limits" areas of our lives where it holds no authority. 

The veil of propriety is meant to be torn in our day. This era we now enter will be identified and remembered as the era in which the power of truth + love creates rips in the atmosphere. The air will surge with raw power. Reality will become more real. And mere words will no longer be mere. They will shape governments and set people free and transform the vibe of entire regions. The veil of propriety has settled over our land like a coma-induced drug. And the people are about to wake up.