The other day I was watching the news when one of the news commentators talked about an accessory to murder. My daughter overheard and wanted to know what that was.
“Someone who is present as a murder goes down, or someone who helps in someway (i.e. driving the getaway car for a bank robbery).”
“But they didn’t do anything. I don’t understand why they get the same punishment.”
It turned into a great teaching moment about who we hang around with. I explained to her that having the right kind of friends assures that this will never happen.
Satisfied with that, she was off practicing dance and soon thoughts of fairness and judgment were replaced with Fouettes and Piques (pretty impressed, aren’t you?). But I secretly hoped and prayed the lesson would stick.
We approach sin the same way in the church at times. Some one gets labeled a trouble maker in our small group because they fight and argue, a couple sits in front of us who we saw buying liquor at the ABC store the night before, one couple hasn’t been to small group in months, and you heard they split up, or someone sits alone because their spouse has left them and we feel they might have been ‘hard to live with’ anyway.
Could be anything really.
But what do we call it when these people are missing from small group and we speak badly about them?
- Concern?
- A Prayer request?
- Just chatting?
God has a different name. He calls any words that tear down, ‘gossip,’ and He hates it. I mean absolutely hates it. But this post isn’t about those obvious ungodly behaviors. This is about all those who sit and listen but never speak up against the character assassinations (murder) that take place. Surely God doesn’t care about that, right?
Hmm. Read the following and then see if you still believe that…
“whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17
You might tell God, “I was only there, I didn’t say anything myself!” or “I only drove the car! I didn’t shoot anyone!” Scripture seems to indicate that God won’t be buying that lame argument.
We should all think twice before sitting passively by while people are spiritually hacked to peiecs right before our very eyes and ears because one day I promise, EVERY ONE OF US will have to…
Tell it to the Judge.
Something to think about, huh?