The way to the woodshed

There’s an episode of the Andy Griffith show that opens with this new kid in town, Arnold Winkler, racing his bicycle down the sidewalk. He almost runs over a woman walking out of the grocery store. She drops some of her groceries as a result, just moments before Barney walks around the corner. 

“Give me a description,” the always-ready-to-administer-justice deputy cries out. 

Her: “It all happened so fast. ‘Whoosh’ …” 

Barney: “Well, can’t expect you to be as astute as us trained professionals …” when suddenly Arnold flies right past again. 

Andy happens upon the situation very shortly thereafter. “Well, Barn. Give me a description.” 

“Whoosh,” is all the now-flustered Barney can come up with.

Time goes by. 

It happens again to Barney. This time he’s able to stop him. Reads him the riot act. Let’s him go. He goes across the street and “whooshes” around the corner. Only this time it’s pretty much right into the arms of Andy. Barney rushes over. Fills Andy in that Arnold has been warned over and over again. 

Andy: “Is this true?” 

Arnold: “Yes.” Andy: “Why?” 

Arnold: “Because I wanted to.” 

He continues to be belligerent, to the point of warning Andy: “I’ll tell my dad about this! You’ll be sorry!” 

Andy says he’s going to take his bike – and does – and hold onto it because, “When an officer gives you a warning, you’re supposed to mind him.” 

Arnold: “You’ll see! I’ll tell my father! When my father gets here, you’ll see!” 

Implication: When he does, Andy, you’re going to the woodshed.

I go way back in time. 

The book of Amos, Chapter 5, Verses 18-27. The children of Israel are ranting and raving against their enemies. Internally, some brothers are complaining about other brothers and sisters against sisters. They’re calling out for the Day of the Lord. It is another version of: “You just wait until my Father gets here! Then you’ll see!” And the implication is the same: When He does, you’re going to the woodshed.

I go forward in time.

Charlie Kirk is murdered. I absolutely loved Charlie Kirk! I probably watched 100 of his videos – TikTok and YouTube. I found him to be incredibly smart. I found him to be empathetic to all. Oh, there were plenty of heated conversations and some off-the-wall celebrities (in their own mind), but I did not get a sense he was judging them, condescending them. 

Moreso, that he wanted to understand them, and he wanted them to understand him. Who he was. What he stood for. Agree to disagree seemed fine with him. When he said he wanted to be known for his Christian values, I believed him, and the one that stood out to me was “love”. I found him to be genuine.

My trans son, along with, as you know, many others, did not. He found him to be completely opposite. We debated. We argued but my bottom line remains my bottom line. No matter what you believe, no son and no daughter should have be denied their father simply because of what he said and believed!

Now Republicans, and I’m simply interested in the Christians here, are pointing their fingers at the Democrats again. “This is your fault! This is because of your rhetoric, your hate speech …” et cetera, etc. (And I’m not saying words should not be spoken. It’s “how” they’re spoken that seems to be the problem.) 

Wait a week and guaranteed – we’ve only been watching it play out like this for year’s now – and something is going to happen where Democrats, again I’m honed in on Christians, are going to point their fingers at the Republicans. “This is your fault! This is because of your rhetoric …”

“You just wait until our Father gets here,” the Republican Christians will cry out. “Then you’ll see!”

“You just wait until our Father gets here,” the Democratic Christians will cry out. “Then you’ll see!”

We return you to your program … 

Arnold’s dad does indeed show up. At first he’s a little slow – like me. Andy, to the dad: “Maybe I shouldn’t lock up the bike, maybe I should lock you up.” Arnold is quick to jump on that: “Go ahead! Lock him up! He’s not scared!” 

Andy: “You’d rather me lock up your dad than your bike?” Arnold: “Yeah, yeah … I want my bike.” 

Dad finally gets it. Arnold goes behind the woodshed.

Amos (5:18). “Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for the day of the Lord? That day will be darkness, not light.”

Republican Christians say they long for Jesus’s return because He’ll bring justice and make everything right …

Democratic Christians say they long for Jesus’s return because He’ll bring justice and make everything right …

“Just wait until our Father gets here. Then you’ll see,” they sing, miles apart but in unison like a choir.

Well, here’s the thing. You probably should not long for that day. Unless you’ve been doing a whole lot of down on your knees, humbling yourself, confessing a bunch of sins like judging and loathing and disgust and scorn and hostility and hate, and apathy and pride and arrogance … all the while sitting on your comfortable pew, or hiding in your gated community, or turning a blind eye, and not telling a soul about the gospel, or living it out, you should probably absolutely dread that day.

I do because I know how short I fall. I know a ton about grace, but it’s not hard to discern. The way we treat the people in this world brother, sister. If we don’t change our hard heart, I’m pretty sure when our Father does get here, we’re all going to be as shocked as Arnold. We’re the ones going to the woodshed!