A couple of days ago, my husband came home relating to me how his day was at work. It seemed like a pretty laid back, uneventful day since he had some time talking about philosophy with a coworker. The conversation was about his coworker stating she happened to have a homosexual relative. She goes on to say, “As long as he’s happy, I’m happy. That’s what matters to me.”
Let’s stick with her statement. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? After all, there’s nothing more noble about being happy for someone else but that’s just the surface. But in actuality, that kind of mentality shows a person’s indifference to one’s spiritual well-being and let me explain. This very woman who said “As long as he’s happy” happens to identify herself as a Christian.
Let’s look at another perspective. It’s the middle of winter and you happened to be by the lake. It’s a nice clear day out and the closer you got to the lake, you find a sign that says, “Thin Ice” facing towards you. You were aware of the sign because it so happened you were at the right place, at the right position to be able to read it. As you kept walking along, you see a gang of people so happy and excited and proceeded to skate towards the thin ice. You just walked past a sign that said “Thin Ice.” Those people apparently didn’t see the warning as they were facing the wrong direction they were completely oblivious of it. Knowing what you know, will you still allow those people to skate on thin ice without warning them?
Do you see the dilemma in “As long as they’re happy” kind of thinking?
I know it’s the middle of July and the analogy I should be using should at least have something to do with Summer but I happen to live in FL and to be honest, I’m sick of Summer all year long, plus I couldn’t pass up on the caricature (Kudos to the illustrator too).
Therefore, whoever knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.
James 4:17
My friend, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that amounts to committing the sin of omission. I’m not pointing any fingers, just reiterating what the Bible (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) says. Every time you know truth and you withhold it from one who desperately needs to hear it, you will be asked into an account for that divine appointment.
God: Why when I sent this person in your path did you not care to tell him the truth?
You: But Lord, I knew they weren’t going to listen to me anyway, plus they just seemed so happy. I wasn’t going to be the Fire and Brimstone type.
God: That’s beside the point. You happened to be the only Christian that person knew. You could have turned that person from the error of their ways but you never even tried…
Regardless if they’re going to listen to you or not, you possess truth and it has to be conveyed. That way, you are giving them something to truly think about. You can’t be too obnoxious that you make them not want to hear it either. God sets the opportunity and when it presents itself, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Ultimately, none of us can change a person, but they need to at least have the knowledge of the truth (of Jesus Christ) which convicts.
[Image Credit: Thanks to OP @ hedgeye.com]