When we consider the moral issues of our country ...and our stance on each of them, are we complacent about it, are we unsatisfied and get hot about it, or are we unconcerned and disinterested?
How should we be? Is there a guideline, or a balance?
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." ---Those are the words of Jesus.
I certainly don't want to be like vomit. So, what is the balance. Does this apply only to our spiritual life, and doesn't affect our workplace, our neighborhood, our communities, or our nation??
Let me tell you a real story:
My co-worker's entire family were all members of one church. I was asked what I thought about a particular experience that happened at the church. It didn't quite feel right with me, and I mentioned that. I asked that I be kept posted. We continued to talk, and clearly something wrong was happening ... and more wrong was revealed over the following weeks. We talked some more ...and my co-worker decided to approach the church family. They did not only refuse to listen, they got upset with the one (my co-worker) who pointed out the wrong that had emerged within their midst.
Some people believe that there is nothing wrong ...they are complacent.
Some people believe there is something definitely wrong ...but, are like parents who get fed up with trying to get through to their kids: "They just won't listen! Let them find out the hard way!"
And there are occasions when it appears the only way for certain people to see the truth, is to wait for it to get worse ---and then they may see it. But, will they really realize it ...and will they turn it all back around??
That approach may work, but I'd prefer to persist to have them listen. This is the approach I like to use with our kids ...because I love them.
I always try to contend that there is hope. But, with hope there is usually also a need to face some truth. And the longer we prolong facing the truth, or denying it ...the more hopeless it becomes. If you own a cabin in the mountains, and I see a fire coming on the other side, out of your vision ...I will continue to warn you, and if you don't listen until the blaze is upon you, I will not have fled the scene and will attempt to help you out.
But, though most of us will fear what we eventually see is about to engulf us ...we often don't realize the invisible things about to consume us. So, how do we recognize what we can't see?
Perhaps we should first ask why some people can see what we can't see. Let me allow another story to illustrate the point:
Goldie gets back from the park, and decides to call her friend, Bart, on the phone.
"Bart, I'm mad at you!"
"Why?"
"You didn't even say hi to me at the park today!"
"I'm sorry, Goldie, I didn't see you at the park."
"Well, that's even worse! You admit you didn't even notice me! I'm really mad at you now!!"
It begins by looking at things only one way ...yet, accusing others of the very thing you're guilty of. We all know Goldie admitted to seeing Bart at the park, but she didn't say hi to him.
This is all a form of delusional thinking, for sure. But, it's not usually delusional people doing the thinking, nor is it usually this obvious ...so what exactly am I trying to say??
It's kind of like warning of the fire. In the Book of Acts, in the Bible, a person whom my mom named me after ---Stephen, said, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?"
They could have listened, recognized the truth, and repented. Why didn't they?
For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. --- Second Thessalonians 2:11
For what reason?
For the answer, we must go to the previous verse and read ..." ...because they refused to love the truth ..." And we can read of end times ..," ...who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (Revelation 2:11-12)
That kind of blows the theory that if we just leave it alone, they will eventually come around and believe the truth. If they didn't listen to the prophets sent by God, and they didn't look to the Bible as the true and accurate Word of God, then why would they listen to anyone who does believe that stuff ...like us??
Nonetheless ...I am still going to try!!! But, I don't think I'll have the porridge. I'm going to bed now, in hopes that it is "just right".
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