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Daily Devotional for October 27

 

October 27                                                   Matthew 12:22-32


An elderly man in my home town sat with buddies at the
country store and complained at length about the sad state
of world affairs. But when the talk turned to the role of our
national leaders in those affairs, he prefaced his complaint with
the words, "Of course, I don't vote, but if I did...."


The old guy wouldn't fare well in my pastor's flock. Reverend
Karen tells congregation members that being part of a com-
munity requires more than pointing out problems; it also means
being willing to help prevent and solve them. In civic matters
that means voting.


Reverend Karen is a wise woman. She knows that if we're not
part of the solution, we may be part of the problem.


Jesus told his disciples much the same thing in today's passage:
He said that if they were not squarely with him, they were
against him, that if they did not make a firm and clear decision
to stand with him, then they would scatter and drift away from
him.


There is no in-between, no such thing as an uninvolved Chris-
tian. If we are not committed to good, then we risk
surrendering control to evil. And that means that inaction can
do as much damage as acting maliciously.


Alice and Lynn, newcomers to the church, visited three times
before deciding never to return. It wasn't that church people
greeted them harshly. The problem was that no one spoke to
them at all.


Because no one was committed to good, evil had a chance to
assert itself. The problem won out because no one was com-
mitted to a solution. No one took a stand for what was right,
so what was wrong carried the day. Reverend Karen wouldn't
have been pleased.


                                Blessed Creator,
              be with us as we act to show the world
                     that we are on your side. Amen.

From The Road to Emmaus - An inclusive devotional Edited by Joseph W. Houle

Emmaus House of Prayer - Washington D.C.

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