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"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:8-11).

Most of the associations we have are "based" (that is not "woke", as the word is now used). Whether it be our friends, most of our family, the leadership and most of the employees of companies we visit and the seasoned members of our Sunday School class are those who hold to reality and reject the modern craziness going on. Their eyes are opened and they're not walking in blindness!

However, one place we personally encounter wokeness, apart from reading about it, is when we donate blood.*

We have donated blood together (that is we go to the donation center together) since our college years. I can't recall for sure but I think I even donated when I was in high school. By donating our blood we help people that have been in accidents or have serious medical issues. While in New England I recall giving a designated donation to a lady in our church who was having major surgery. But most of the time we have no idea who is a recipient of our donated blood.

But for the last several years we have encountered odd questions asked of us before donating blood. For awhile they were asking if we were a he or a she even though our form specified that we were male or female and most people over three years old can tell the difference!

Then in the last several years it's the even more bizarre question, "Are you pregnant?" Yes, no kidding I am asked this as a 70 year old male. (It would be just as bizarre if I was 30 years old).

I was asked this same question last Saturday morning at our local bloodmobile. I gave the girl a look like "really, you are asking me that" but she tells me they have to ask everyone that now. I pointed out that on my form it specifies I am a male but she made some blabber about "transgender", a new made up word not even in a dictionary I have from 30 years ago, like "gender identity" another made up concept.

Brooksyne also gets asked this, which apart from her age, brings a tinge of pain since she was never able to carry a pregnancy to term but I suppose in a woke world those with similar feelings are not considered. The basis of the question is that a very tiny percentage of mentally and morally confused donors may feel validated by such a nonsensical question though I believe it's also an effort to indoctrinate people to accepting nonsense.

Brooksyne once asked why they asked these types of questions and the very woke interviewer explained that it didn't matter how people identified. If a potential donor identified as a cat or dog he would accept the answer as he claimed he had no business judging that person!

How should we as Christians respond to this lunacy and the similar nonsense of the age?

Now some will say just play nicey, nicey and go along with it. Don't dare offend anybody. Be polite, join them in their fantasy world, and wait to see what happens. Others are courageous enough to stand up and speak the side of truth.

Today's Scripture speaks to this.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord". This speaks of the transformation when we are converted to Christ. We go from darkness to light.

Thus we are to " Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord". We are now to live in the light, not the darkness. Among the fruit of the light is truth. We must live truthfully not in deceptions and falsehoods. We must seek to do what pleases the Lord.

Therefore we are to " Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them". This is a tall order since we live in a world of darkness but this is an aspiration we all should have.

Today's message may rankle a few who may feel it's insensitive. However we must always value truth over sensitivity if the two conflict. Let us faithfully speak truth and expose the darkness. And let us also pray for those who are dealing with this subject matter within their own family. Jesus indicated in His own words, that following Him, may cause conflict among family members, so the choice is hard but the reward is never ending!

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

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