Comfortable Complacency
For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them. Proverbs 1:32
No one can do everything. Everyone can do something.
I had been experiencing a seemingly unproductive day. Bible study, a walk, phone calls, emails, and social media (and eating, of course). None of these seem terribly productive to me, though all had to be completed for me to feel responsible and in control of my “to do” list.
As I read these verses, my conscience was pricked; “Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice; you complacent daughters, give ear to my speech. In little more than a year you will shudder, you complacent women; for the grape harvest fails, the fruit harvest will not come.” Isaiah 32:9-10.
Isaiah was warning these women who were living in ease. In their wealth and ease, they did not bother with the needs of others. He warns them that they will not be so comfortable for long. Soon, there will be no fruit to gather and no “joyous houses” (verse 13) left in the city.
At this moment in time the Christian world is up, out, and talking about the injustices and flat out horrors of Planned Parenthood. But, we have been here before with abortion. We raised a loud cry when Boko Haram took school girls right out of their classroom in Nigeria. We were vocal about our outrage at the political legalization of “homosexual marriage.”
Now, we have forgotten and allowed it all to be “water under the bridge,” believing we cannot fix it.
We have returned to our comfortable lives. We allow the complacency of being able to read and complain on social media to be enough for us. We live lives of ease while evils triumph. We talk like we care but we do nothing. Faith without works is dead. James 2:17.
That culture of death and destruction is coming closer to those who are complacent. I know that this includes me at times. We ignore the expectations the Lord has of us in our times of plenty, including the expectation to act against evil in the world. In his commentary on these verses, Matthew Henry makes a pointed observation. He says, “The abuse of plenty is justly punished with scarcity.” Ouch.
Scarcity may come in food or money, or joy. It may show up in family (as our culture is working hard to destroy it). We may experience scarcity in preaching of the Word of God as He gives us understanding of what life without Him may be like. None of these are appealing to me but I would have to understand if God would allow us to know this kind of scarcity as He has seen scarcity of faith and action proving our love for Him.
None of us can right every wrong in this world. None of us, though, can justifiably sit by in complacency and allow it all to happen because we are so busy enjoying the good life as babies are murdered and the family is undermined.
We can’t do everything but we can do something. What will you and I do to get out of our comfortable complacency?
Thank you Lord, for your continual “challenges” you have put forth through your faithful servant, Beth :o) May you bless her abundantly indeed! May her words fall on willing ears and burdened hearts, so that faith and works will go hand in hand in our lives! Blaze, Spirit blaze!
Beth, you are right. There is always something we can do. After hearing from many of our brothers and sisters in Nigeria this summer. The first and most important thing that asked was to pray for them. The Chibok school girls kidnapped on April 14, 2014, their parents and the other persecuted Christians and Muslims need our prayers. Prayers for God to walk beside each of the 219 girls still missing and allow them to feel His presence and comfort. Also for the 54 girls who have escaped to heal from the trauma.
Please continue to pray for the crisis in Nigeria.
The Nigerians have shared these scriptures Romans 8:35-39 and 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Thanks Gerry, I learned from a missionary years ago that “prayer is not supplemental, prayer is fundamental!” It is something any and all of us can do. The needs are great so that I pray each one of us will hear the call of what we are to do.