Jason and David Benham, two Christian entrepreneurs who have been targeted by gay activists for their belief in traditional marriage, recently shared how they stand firm on their Biblical values "in an ever-changing culture with highs and lows in the moral temperature."
Last May, the brothers, who built the successful real estate firm Benham Companies, were filming episodes for "Flipping it Forward" when HGTV announced they were canceling the show. The decision was reportedly made due to the Benhams' traditional Christian views on marriage, sexuality and abortion.
In a recent blog post titled "Hard Head Soft Heart," the brothers said that through their experiences, they've learned how to have a "hard head in matters of principle and a soft heart in matters of people."
One Biblical passage that has particularly encouraged them, the brothers write, is Ezekiel 3:9, in which God commands the prophet Ezekiel to "not be afraid" of the "rebellious house."
"God made the prophet Ezekiel hard-headed with the message of truth that he was given to deliver to his pagan nation," they write, "Many other prophets were given hard heads as well. The same hard-headedness for the truth of God is needed today in the face of persecution here in America and around the world."
The Benhams also reference the Biblical passage Zechariah 7:12, which says, "They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts."
They go on to explain that the verse inspires them, because "if the two greatest commandments are to love God first and love others second, then if our hearts are hard toward God we will naturally be hard toward others as well. The love of God is extinguished in our lives when our hearts are hard toward His words. This is as true today as it was during the prophet Zechariah's time."
The brothers will share their powerful story in an upcoming autobiography, titled "Whatever the Cost: Facing Your Fears, Dying to Your Dreams, and Living Powerfully." The book, which is slated for February 28 release, gives practical guidelines for readers to apply to their daily lives, including how to revolutionize and family life while standing for what's right.
The brothers write, "This year we are committing to have a hard head with a soft heart. Any other combination (soft head/hard heart, hard head/hard heart, soft head/soft heart) won't allow us to withstand the ever changing moral and spiritual climate in our nation."
