"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10
Mary and I started the Complacency Challenge several months ago. Our goal was to challenge complacency in our lives.
"...and the complacency of fools will destroy them." Proverbs 1:32
The complacency. Our complacency in Knowledge. Our complacency in Truth.
com⋅pla⋅cen⋅cy
[kuh
m-pley-suhn-see] –noun, plural -cies.
| 1. | a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc. |
| 2. | Archaic.
|
But look at definition two. Friendly. Civility. Inclination to please.
Complacency. To please. To please whom?
I'm going to venture a guess that complacency is not an inclination to please God. Rather, it's an inclination to please man.
Why are we so eager to please man?
Is it because we are afraid of "failure?"
Are we insecure?
Are we trying to "fit in?"
Do we think it will help us to "succeed?"
Our society teaches tolerance and acceptance. We are surrounded by commercials and posters telling us to accept and to tolerate.
God tells us
"...As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34
But does He want us to accept and to tolerate?
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the One you received, or a different gospel from the One you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." 2 Corinthians 11:3-4
We "put up with it." We tolerate it. We accept it.
Why? Why do we "put up with" it?
MckMama posted a video awhile back of Penn Gillette receiving a Bible.
He is not a believer. But appreciates the person's gift. He talks about if you saw a semi barreling down the road about to hit someone, wouldn't you let them know?
If you believe that people who do not know Christ will spend an eternity in Hell, shouldn't you let them know?
I have friends that say they are agnostic. Do I love them? Yes.
Should I love them? Of course!
Do I accept their beliefs? Admittedly, yes.
Should I accept their beliefs? Absolutely not!
So why do I? Why am I so willing to accept a lie? What am I afraid of? Why am I trying to please man? Why am I being complacent?
What do I have to lose if I shout out the Truth? Nothing.
What do they have to lose if I don't? Everything.
Do you know Him?
If you do, are you shouting out the Truth?
If you don't, you can.
"For God so loved the world that He sent his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Whoever believes in Him. Everyone who believes in Him.
His promise is for me. His promise is for you.
"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13
Call upon Him. Pray to Him. Seek Him.
Lord, Thank You for the Truth. Thank You for Your saving Grace. Lord, please help me to stop being complacent. Help me to stop being afraid. Make me bold. Make me a voice of truth. Give me the voice to yell, scream, and shout Your Truth. Make me unashamed. Don't let me put up with falsehoods. Help me to see that everything is on the line. Help me to love others enough to speak the Truth. Thank You for Your Truth. Amen.
