Do Something - Part 1
On the need to act, not just talk.
I’m overweight. It’s not good. This is a problem in my life, and it affects others around me. It is something caused by my own actions and inaction.
It may be the case that I’m partly a victim of manipulative advertising or have some condition that predisposes me to obesity, but, at the end of the day it is a problem that I have right now and there’s really one primary person who has the power to change it.
Now, how absurd would it be if I often complained about being overweight, but never did anything about it?
We know that there are justified times to make complaint, but we also know that making the complaint doesn’t ordinarily solve the problem, and in fact it should not solve problems that are in our power to correct.
Humbly relying on Almighty God, I need to take responsibility for the things under my control (like my weight) and bring Christ honouring change.
And that goes for all areas of our lives!
I have noticed over the years, perhaps you have too, that when Christians gather there can be a tendency to share our disbelief over the state of the world. It’s a natural thing: we walk through clown-world, we are astonished by the tom-foolery and stupidity, then we gather with people who are like minded. It’s a safe space where we feel sanity still has some claim, and so we unburden ourselves from what has been. We are in the company of people who are also disgusted by the sexual perversion, frustrated by the injustice, and saddened by the diversion of our communities onto the path of self-destruction. So of course we commiserate and we feel a little less crazy.
Now whether we intend it or not, over time our social interactions can shift from being times where we should be building one another up, into times where we basically just complain about the state of the world and how difficult our lives may be in the future. It can, unintentionally, turn into a rage-bait-fest where we progressively share more and more outrageous anecdotes. I am guilty of this.
We have natural and good concerns about the state of the world and what that will mean for our families and the Church. It is good to want a better world for our kids, it is good to want Christ’s bride to be beautifully clothed. It is good for us to want a public sphere that honours Christ instead of promoting evil.
But what are we to do about it?
Is it healthy to always be making complaint and wallowing in woe?
Are we going to be the perpetually aggrieved?
Shall we always play the victim?
We probably can agree that we face two broad types of problem in the world; things inside my influence and things outside my influence. There’s stuff where I have the power to change or contribute, and stuff that is way beyond me. In both cases it is appropriate to bring these problems before God and ask for him to intervene, but in the case of problems within my influence we then must act in the direction of what we believe to be God’s will.
Imagine a returned Jew in Jerusalem after exile with the broken city wall before him. They have come back from exile and now sit vulnerably with other peoples around them who are opposed to them. Now, how absurd would it be if that returned Jew often complained about being unprotected, but never did anything about it?
We know that there are justified times to make complaint, but we also know that making the complaint doesn’t ordinarily solve the problem, and in fact it should not solve problems that are in our power to correct. Complaint is for when something is beyond our control, for making an appeal to someone who can fix it. What if the person who can fix it, or at least help to fix it, is oneself?
Humbly relying on Almighty God, that Jew needs to take responsibility for the things under his control (like the wall in front of his house) and bring Christ honouring change by picking up his trowel.
“Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired.”
Ne 3:28–29.
So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Ne 4:6.
When people trust God and act for good, then great things can happen.
There is wisdom in the principle of beginning with the things closest to us, like the builders of the wall. Jordan Peterson is famous for telling folks to make their own bed and clean their own room before trying to bring order to the rest of the world. Wise words.
Each of us may be able to identify problems “out there,” however if we cannot manage our own small affairs, how will we manage the big ones? You see this principle in the selection of Elders; the ones who can manage their own household well are indicating their ability to step up and take on greater responsibility.
The one who buries his talent does not get a reward, but the one who invests it and grows it multiplies the benefit. Put your few talents to work for the LORD, and then you’ll be ready when he comes to “set you over much” whether in this life or the next (Matthew 25:14–30).
While earthly blessing & success is not guaranteed, it is an obvious principle that “you have to be in it to win it”. We will evangelise no one unless we go out with the Gospel, we will plant no churches unless we go seek to plant them, we will reform no community unless we suffer ridicule for proclaiming Christ raised from the dead. We will lead no nation to righteousness unless the Righteous Branch be proclaimed among the nations! The harvest may be small or great, but either way we need to get the seed in the ground!
We must walk by faith, not sit still.
Repent of your own cowardice and sloth. Then play the man (1 Cor 16:13), take action!
So, are you convinced we need to do something?
How shall we respond to the problems we face? Knowing that there is evil in the world, that there are problems in our communities and in our government and in our schools and in our families and in our hearts… knowing this, what shall we do?
You’ll have to read part 2 to find out!
Coming Next Week!