When you choose to do nothing about the world around you, you choose to accept the world for what it is!
The world is truly messed up – that’s what happens when man chose to be disobedient to God! Sin is no longer considered wrong in the world’s eyes - co-habitation, abortion, homosexuality, laziness, self-centeredness, lying, cheating…I could go on for a while, but I think you get the point! But what is the greater problem; committing the sins but believing they are ok or watching those sins being committed, knowing they are wrong, and doing nothing about it? We do more harm standing by watching someone sin than we can ever do by confronting someone in love and walking with them along the path to freedom. Remember, sin is bondage...freedom can be elusive!
In Matthew 18, verses 15 – 17, Jesus lays out how we are to confront a brother who is sinning (someone professing to be a follower of Christ): 15 "If your brother sins against you go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that `every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ` 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. By the way, a pagan and a tax collector is another way of saying someone that has not received Christ as their Savior!
So, how do we treat a pagan or a tax collector? We love them! We mentor them and love them by getting to know them, sharing our faith life with them and pointing them in a better direction…toward a saving God. When someone is living a life of sin that is where we, The Church, step in and join God by confronting the sin and loving the sinner! And don’t be prideful; we are all sinners…those of us who chose to accept it have simply been saved by Grace!
It’s your choice…stand back and watch the world around you crumble under the feet of Satan, or do something about it! When you see what is going on around the world, what are the things that get your blood boiling…those things that make your stomach turn and ache? That is the Holy Spirit giving you a passion…a call to action! We know the end of the story…Satan loses! But while we are here, our purpose is to love God and love others by making disciples, not by sitting back and coasting into the Kingdom!
Does domestic violence drive you to tears? Volunteer to mentor at your local women’s center and see where God takes you to serve.
Do you have a neighbor kid that is so obnoxious, so disrespectful that you want to give him a piece of your mind…and maybe even his parents? Befriend him; mentor him by getting into his world and showing him someone who cares about him because God loves him. Better yet, get to know his parents as well…there’s a good chance the parents could use some encouragement and possibly some mentoring as well.
Have you lied or cheated someone? Go seek forgiveness and make it right…not for personal gain, but for relational gain!
Are you co-habiting with a girlfriend or boyfriend? Break it off! You don’t have to break off the relationship, but you know what is right and what is wrong! Honoring God is way more rewarding than self gratification!
Do you know someone (or maybe that someone is you) who has had an abortion? Or maybe struggled with homosexuality, pornography or a sexual addiction? As followers of Christ, we need to come along side those who are hurting (and having an abortion, struggling with pornography, sexual addiction or even with homosexuality will definitely cause lots of hurt) and extend the love that Jesus showed for us to those individuals who are either stuck in sin, or who are dealing with past sin. Thing is, we all have dealt with past sin…and we all need a loving Savior, or someone to point us to a loving Savior!
There is a reason that Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God and love others (see Matthew 22:35-40)…it is the very nature of God to love. He loved us enough to send His son to die for the sins we have and will commit. He didn’t have to, He wanted to! We don’t have to love others that way, we get to! This is what love looks like: We love our God so much that we begin seeing everyone around us from His perspective (that is the Holy Spirit’s guiding). We develop a passion or feel His call to make a difference in someone’s individual life or a group of people’s lives. We join God in the most remarkable, rewarding work we have ever done. We love others right alongside God! There is no better place to be! God gets the glory, and we get to join Him in the celebration!
Those who call Jesus their Savior are children of God. He loves all of His creation, but to be called His child we must be adopted into His family. He has given the invitation to be adopted through His Son, Jesus, and we only need to accept to be part of the family of God. There are many people in our lives that are truly loved by God but who are not yet members of His family. Are you willing to love them enough to mentor them and point them to a loving Creator that has invited them to be His children? If not you, who?
When you choose to do nothing about the world around you, you choose to accept the world for what it is! For this reason, Romans 12:2 warns us to not be conformed to the patterns of this world! No use complaining about something you’ve chosen to accept! We have the power to change the world…it only takes one Christian to sit back and do nothing for Satan to celebrate! We belong to Christ and He deserves the glory! Don’t complain about the world, do something about it!
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