Defending a Colleague

“Sarah” had given a faculty member a copy of the Gospel of John, along with a personal note encouraging her to consider the good news of Jesus Christ. The Facebook post included a picture of the book and the note.

The note was bold, yes, but it was also sincere, loving, and an invitation to ask God if He is real and desires a relationship with her.  

Divisive Opinions Dominated

The immediate responses to this post were swift and harsh. Many labeled my colleague’s actions as harassment and oppressive, with recommendations to report the woman to her department chair and dean.

Just over a decade ago, after starting my current position, a colleague invited me to join this Facebook group. The intent was to connect with community-based resources for parenting. At first, it was helpful. Over time, however, the dialogue shifted as societal and political tensions grew. Frustration and divisive opinions began to dominate. Many times, I considered leaving the group, but I stayed.

Direct Opposition to My Beliefs

Partly it helped me keep a pulse on how colleagues expressed their views, and partly it felt like watching a trainwreck that was hard to ignore. But more honestly, I stayed because I wanted to challenge myself to be brave and speak into conversations that increasingly condemned God’s goodness and beauty in His creation.

I was more fearful than I wanted to admit. The loudest voices in this female-only group consistently spoke in direct opposition to my beliefs. I knew that if I contributed, my words would be met with pushback.

Stepping Out in Faith

This condemnation of my colleague was my opportunity. I could not remain silent. If this believer was willing to step out in faith and share, then I needed to step out in faith to defend her.

My Facebook response suggested that the note my colleague sent didn’t read like an ultimatum, but rather like an effort to show care, even if awkward. I asked: would the same level of offense be taken if the gift had been a book about an unwanted social theory instead? Finally, I pointed out that escalating to HR not only subjected her to unfair criticism but also reflected how quickly academia is closing off respectful disagreement and freedom of belief.

Under Attack

As expected, my words did not spark an open discussion. Instead, follow-up posts tagged me directly, insisting I failed to understand Christianity’s hegemonic power structures and the difference between religious and social theory—a couple even suggesting I need to educate myself.

I considered responding again, but ultimately, I let my post stand alone. I trusted God that nothing more I said would change the trajectory of the conversation. Yet the fact that so many felt the need to address me directly revealed that perhaps a chord had been struck, and God was at work in ways unseen.

Boldness Comes with a Cost

What stayed with me most was watching the spiral unfold: initial disagreement with a simple act of sharing Scripture turned to frustration, then anger, and finally to collective condemnation.

This experience reminded me that the call of Christ is not to avoid conflict, but to speak boldly when given the opportunity. 

Yet boldness comes with a cost. Faithfulness to Christ will sometimes mean being misunderstood, criticized, rejected, or even hated.

Standing Firm with Courage and Grace

Jesus prepared us for this when He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18), and “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11–12).

Our task is not to remain silent for the sake of comfort, but to stand firm in His truth with courage and grace. To follow Christ is to accept that obedience may cost us approval, reputation, or peace with the world—but it is worth everything, because we belong to Him, and His gospel is the only true hope.