Woke' is increasingly used as a byword for social awareness. —Wikipedia

 You know what I think about every time I hear the word “woke?” A passage of scripture that says, among other things “…arise sleeper….”

Oh, please don’t tune me out because I think you will find this very, very interesting and appropriate for our time.  You might also want to share some thoughts with me.

Back in the days of Rome, there is a letter that was written to a group of Christians who lived a city called Ephesus.  It’s now a book in the New Testament.  The author’s intent in writing this letter was to remind the “woke” of their calling, their purpose. You know, what it means and looks like to be “woke.”

I love this book because the culture in which these folks lived is so much like ours.  It was a melting pot of people from all over the world bringing the good, the bad and the ugly when it came to views, practices, behaviors, and such. It’s fascinating to me that we share so many of the same social issues and concerns they had.  I don’t need to list them all just think sex, drugs, and ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________ … you fill in the blanks with every evil and social injustice you can think of and that was their culture.  Ours too.  They need the “woke” message and so do we.

The approach the author of this letter takes to how one gets “woke” and then behaves is truly inspiring. For that culture to change it had to start with a change in the hearts, thus minds, of the people.  You know, they had to change their thinking and mindset which would ultimately start changing their behavior and their culture.  Being “woke” would mean being different.  Thinking about things differently. So, how would this happen and what would being different look like?  I am so glad you asked this question, and I am happy to report I found the answers in the book (letter) of Ephesians!

The author describes the people that needed to be “woke” had a lifestyle, a practice, a daily way of life of and behaviors like immorality, impurity, greed, filthiness, silly talk, coarse jesting, covetousness, idolatry, deceitfulness, stealing, bitterness, angry and so on and so on and so on.  These are evil behaviors that cause social injustices of all kinds.  a/k/a Sin (knowing the right thing to do and not doing it.[i])

In contrast, the author describes the “woke” practice a lifestyle of…Humility, gentleness, patience, unity, kindness, were tenderhearted, forgiving, loving and so on and so on.

I hear you!  Where are the “woke” folks, right?  I know, we all have beefs with behaviors but remember I said lifestyle.  No one is perfect all the time but if you find people whose behaviors are more consistent with “woke” as described above, those are the people you want to hang with.  At least they are trying to wake up and open to being “woke.”

So how does one get woke? 

1.      First, let me share Ephesians 5:1-17 (please note verse 14).

“1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” 15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

2.  I believe the first two chapters of Ephesians answers how one gets “woke” and I think it will encourage your soul to go read not just Ephesians 1-2 but the entire book/letter!  One gets “woke” when they wake up to who they really are and Ephesians does a great job of outlining those who are in Christ (woke) and those who are … well, the opposite of woke.  Asleep and dead to their condition. In a nutshell, being woke means bowing the knee to Jesus, placing yourself under His authority, agreeing that God’s Word is guide for living and that only through the power of the Holy Spirit given to you can you awake, o sleeper.  Or, to put in current day language…be “woke.”  Being “woke” is a spiritual condition that produces “woke” behavior.

Yeah, sometimes the woke doze off and need to be reminded [ii]of who we are and the responsibility we have to model the behavior of our Lord and to know and do His will. 

How exciting and inspiring that we get to be part of changing the world for the better!  May the “woke” arise and be the change agents we are called to be. And may I add, in Jesus’ name and for His sake.

[i] James 4:17

[ii] Ephesians 5:17

*Photo not mine