Awake, Not Against: Reclaiming a Biblical Vision of Awareness
Lately, I’ve noticed something in many Christian conversations that’s been weighing on me. The word “woke” has become a kind of shorthand for everything someone disagrees with, especially things that feel “progressive” or “left.” I hear it tossed around like a dismissal rather than a discussion.
And honestly, that grieves me. Because underneath the noise, there’s a deeper issue at stake. We’ve allowed a word that once meant awareness to become a weapon.
“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” - Ephesians 5:14
That’s not political language, that’s spiritual. To awaken, in the biblical sense, means to become aware of God’s presence, God’s heart, and the reality of His kingdom breaking into the world around us. The prophets were awakeners. They called people to see what God saw in the idolatry that blinded them, the injustice that broke His heart, and the mercy that was still available. Jesus did the same. Everywhere He went, He opened eyes physically and spiritually, inviting people to see what they had missed and to join Him in bringing light where there was darkness.
So “waking up” isn’t a threat to truth; it’s an expression of it.
When we label rather than listen, we stop learning. When we accuse rather than discern, we stop seeing. And when we use words the way the world uses them, as tools of division, we lose the distinct flavor of grace that’s meant to mark our conversations.
What if, instead of asking, “Who’s woke?” we asked, “Who’s awake to God’s heart?”
Awake to God’s Spirit.
Awake to injustice and mercy.
Awake to our own blind spots and His ongoing work of renewal.
If we can reclaim that kind of awareness, maybe the Church will start to sound less like an echo of culture and more like the voice of Christ, full of truth, compassion, and grace.
“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” – Romans 13:12
And honestly, that grieves me. Because underneath the noise, there’s a deeper issue at stake. We’ve allowed a word that once meant awareness to become a weapon.
Awakening Is a Biblical Theme
Long before “woke” entered our cultural vocabulary, Scripture called us to be awake.“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” - Ephesians 5:14
That’s not political language, that’s spiritual. To awaken, in the biblical sense, means to become aware of God’s presence, God’s heart, and the reality of His kingdom breaking into the world around us. The prophets were awakeners. They called people to see what God saw in the idolatry that blinded them, the injustice that broke His heart, and the mercy that was still available. Jesus did the same. Everywhere He went, He opened eyes physically and spiritually, inviting people to see what they had missed and to join Him in bringing light where there was darkness.
So “waking up” isn’t a threat to truth; it’s an expression of it.
When Awareness Turns into Accusation
But somewhere along the way, awareness got replaced by accusation. In our effort to guard against cultural drift, we started using “woke” as a label to signal who’s “in” and who’s “out.” The problem is, that’s not how Jesus operated. He didn’t draw lines to keep people out, He crossed them to invite people in.When we label rather than listen, we stop learning. When we accuse rather than discern, we stop seeing. And when we use words the way the world uses them, as tools of division, we lose the distinct flavor of grace that’s meant to mark our conversations.
What if, instead of asking, “Who’s woke?” we asked, “Who’s awake to God’s heart?”
The Relational Call of Discipleship
Discipleship was never meant to be lived behind labels. It’s relational, grounded in the slow, patient work of seeing one another through the eyes of Jesus. Being awake as a disciple means staying tender to both sin and suffering, to both truth and grace. It means:- Listening before labeling
- Seeking understanding before assuming motive
- Walking with people before correcting them
Reclaiming “Awake”
Maybe the invitation for us isn’t to pick a side in the culture war, but to return to the spiritual posture of awakened disciples.Awake to God’s Spirit.
Awake to injustice and mercy.
Awake to our own blind spots and His ongoing work of renewal.
If we can reclaim that kind of awareness, maybe the Church will start to sound less like an echo of culture and more like the voice of Christ, full of truth, compassion, and grace.
“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” – Romans 13:12
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