I think this is a most interesting and thought-provoking Bible verse. Please read it.
Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
Proverbs 24:11-12 (New King James Version)
Wow.
I was just flipping through the Bible last night when I found it and, at first, it makes me think of the Lexicon story I'm writing but it also makes me think about myself--not in a self-absorbed way, though, if that makes any sense.
I think, basically, what that verse is saying is that it's our responsibility to do what we can to help people. It's a real eye-opener, especially if you think about it in the context of witnessing. When God says to me, "Why didn't you witness to this person?", I can't lie and say "I didn't know they needed witnessing to" because he knows my heart inside and out. He knows that I saw the symptoms of someone without Christ.
Those who don't know Christ are being drawn closer and closer to Hell (yes, I just said the "H" word--it's a real place). How can I just stand by and watch without doing anything?
And yet...I do--or, at least, I feel like I do. I'm in a situation now where I deal with non-Christians on an almost daily basis because of my job. Shouldn't I use this as an opportunity to witness to people--to "hold back those stumbling to the slaughter"?
My parents are telling me basically that, at least at this point, I should just SHOW them Jesus, as opposed to TELLING them about Him. It works in writing most of the time, right?
I guess, I just feel like I'm not really doing anything.
I'm being told so many things and am seeing so many things at work that make me sad and put a bad taste in my mouth. Just watching and listening is terrible.
I think, though, by now that people are seeing a difference in me--if nothing else, I don't cuss. I wonder what they're saying about me? I was asked the other day if I had any children because I seemed like the "caring type". I'm not sure if that has anything to do with anything. Being seen as caring, though, doesn't hurt, though.
If someone came to me and actually asked about why I'm different or, if they knew why, about Christ. What would I say? What if I can't remember all the right Bible verses?
I don't know that you guys will be able to help but if you, my wonderful blog-viewers, have any thoughts, I'd love to "hear" them.
2 comments:
Just this past Sunday we did a lesson on this topic, but we read a different verse, Ezekiel 33:6.
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.
It's a really scary thought when you could be the only Christian person in someone's life, and if you see them falling in sin, and don't warn them about the sword coming for them, their blood is technically on your hands. I guess it really gets across the message that witnessing to people is an urgent mission. I also think that this could apply to Christians who are falling in sin and I guess backsliding. It's almost just as bad if we don't help them either.
I've tried, where I work, to do like what you said you've been doing, not telling them, but just kind of showing them. I don't think I've been doing a very good job, mostly because I'm really really quite at work, and I'm not always interacting with other co-workers, but whenever I do come in contact with them I try to be as Christ like as I know how to be. There are a few people where I work that I know are Christians, and most of them happen to be higher up in in the ladder of power. But yeah, I don't want to have to get to heaven and then have God tell me about a person (or possibly hundreds of people) that I knew was heading the wrong direction, but didn't do anything, and now they're in hell because of what I didn't do.
Thanks for your comment, John. I'm glad I'm not alone.
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