When Christians use the word “woke” as a weapon, what does it reveal about our hearts and our faith? In this personal reflection, I explore inclusion and representation. I discuss the example of Jesus — who consistently welcomed those the world tried to exclude.

When “Woke” Becomes a Word of Exclusion

When I hear Christians use the term “woke” to express displeasure at something, it hurts my heart. This is especially true when their displeasure is simply because someone is included that they feel shouldn’t be included.

To me, it signals a belief that the world should look one way, and that any deviation is unacceptable.

Twice now, I’ve experienced this word being used negatively while watching Twitch streams with the Christian tag.

The first time, it was a comment in the chat. The chatter wrote that they were glad that a new movie was not “woke.” In this instance, the streamer did a good job. They addressed it by responding to the comment with a Christ centered viewpoint.

The second time, the streamer was playing with others and their voices were also heard on the stream. One of the players complained that a movie was “woke.”

The streamer said nothing.

Because the stream was tagged as Christian, the silence was disheartening. There should have been a conversation. It could have been a gentle challenge. It could have been a question to better understand what the person meant. Instead, the remark went unaddressed, and in that moment, it felt as if it reflected the streamer’s stance as well.

I felt excluded and unwelcome, so I left the stream. I know the streamer didn’t say it — but the absence of response still spoke volumes.

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Representation Is Not the Enemy

Casting someone who wasn’t in the original does not make a movie “woke.” Casting someone whose presence you personally disagree with doesn’t make it “woke” either.

Often, it means the story reflects a broader representation of the actual world we live in. It could also just be the vision of the person making the movie. The world is not one perspective, one culture, or one voice. It is not limited to America or its ideologies.

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Reflecting Christ in a Diverse World

Let’s consider the example of Jesus.

He did not exclude anyone. He welcomed all, healed them, and loved them.

He consistently broke the customs of His time to show people a better way. He spoke with those who were cast aside. He dignified the marginalized. He told us to love our enemies — not to persecute or exclude them. When I hear the word “woke” used the way it was used in those streams, what I really hear is, “Those people don’t belong.”

If that’s what is being said in public spaces, I can’t help but wonder what is being said behind closed doors.

If we are representing Christ, we should stand for what He stood for. He stood for the inclusion, dignity, and worth of all people. And that begins with examining our own words, our own assumptions, and our own hearts.

Scriptures for Reflection:

Galatians 3:28 • Luke 10:33–37 • Matthew 5:44 • Acts 10:34–35 • James 2:1