If ever there was a generation that chose to abdicate
personal responsibility, it is this present generation. It has become a way of
life for both believer and non-believer alike. The believers justify it by
shrugging their shoulders and murmuring something about Jesus winning in the
end, the non-believer by rationalizing that their loss of freedom is a small
price to pay for the promise of free stuff.
My quarrel is not with the unbelievers. They possess neither
the knowledge, nor the tools to stand, and the notion of doing what is right
for a righteous cause is alien to them. Godlessness is self-serving, and the
godless are self-centered. It’s always about them, and it matters not at whose
expense.
My quarrel is with the church. It is with the household of faith
which staggers to and fro, lethargic, purposeless, and drained of life, content
with filling their existence with endless distractions rather than get in the
fight.
What’s worse, those on the sidelines look down on those who
have taken Paul’s counsel to heart, and not only put on the whole armor of God,
but have done all to stand. For some, putting on the armor and putting forth
the effort to stand is a waste of time, for others, it seems like too much
work, but the end result is still the same.
Lethargy and inaction are choices we make. We choose these
things because it requires no exertion on our part. Rather than stand, rather
than push against the darkness, rather than risk being wounded in battle, it is
a far easier thing to grab some popcorn, find a comfy chair, and judge.
“Well, you know, I wouldn’t have said it quite that way, I
wouldn’t have done it quite that way, his delivery could have been better, I
would have kept the message shorter,” are things I’ve heard in meetings, and
church services.
Once upon a time, I used to bite my tongue and not say
anything. I’d nod, or shrug my shoulders, but no more. I’ve grown tired of
those who choose to do nothing nitpicking every word and action of those who
do, and as a direct result, I am less than kind in my responses, especially
when the conversation is about a third party that is not present.
“Did you hear what so and so said? They could have been more
gentle in their delivery; don’t you think?”
“Well, why don’t you get up there and say it better? Why
don’t you get up there and say it with more gentility?”
As long as the message is Biblical, as long as what is said
is consistent with the gospel, I will not judge another man’s delivery or the
way he formulates his exegesis. I would rather someone give an unpolished
Biblical message than an endlessly rehearsed soliloquy that has no scriptural
foundation.
Perhaps rather than being overly concerned with judging the
service of others using the world’s metrics, we should be about our Father’s
business and make certain that not only have we put on the whole armor making
us ready for battle but that we have done all to stand.
God will not judge you based on what your brother did with
his talents, and He will not judge me based on what you did with yours. We are
individually accountable to God for what we do with what we’ve been given,
regardless of whether or not we think we can get away with abdicating our
responsibility.
With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.
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