Doing Nothing Is Not An Option

I'll never forget the scene.

I was strolling past the Old State Capital building in Frankfort, Ky.  My wife, a teacher, led a field trip to the state capital.  Short on chaperones, she asked me to come along. 

It was just after lunch.  Many of the students were taking photos or cleaning up lunch or talking.  I was strolling the outer edge of the fence, taking in the scene.  In my peripheral vision, I notice a boy - about 2 or 3 years old - running full steam in my direction.  Behind him is a dad rushing to catch up.

That's when I did something unusual.  I stopped.

I don't know why, but for some reason, I stopped walking and just watched this scene unfold. 

I watched as the boy, his face lit up in glee, ran past me toward the busy street beyond.  I watched as a father - worry etched on his face - ran hard to intercept his son before he made it to the road.

I'm happy to report the father reached his son just before he barreled into the busy Frankfort, Ky. intersection.  I'm saddened to report I did nothing to intervene.

I didn't step in front of the kid.  I didn't speak to him to grab his attention. I didn't try to impede his path. 

For reasons to this day I don't understand, I stopped.  I did nothing. I watched.

Now, as a father, I would have jumped in front of the child.  I would have done something to keep him from being harmed.  But on that day, at that time, in that place, I stopped and did nothing.

Often, the sin of doing nothing plagues us all.  It certainly hurt the first couple.

In Genesis 3:6, it says Eve ate the fruit and then gave some to Adam, who was there with her.  While Eve was tempted and then succumbed to sin, Adam did nothing to stop her.  He didn't grab her hand and run away.  He didn't yell at her to stop.  He did nothing.

In doing nothing, he let his wife sin.  Then, he sinned with her.  We are still feeling the consequences of those actions today.

We are very much like our ancestor.  We don't intervene because we may hurt someone's feelings.  We don't speak up because it might be awkward.  We don't get involved because it's none of our business.  In doing so, we let others sin while we do nothing to warn them of the consequences.

As believers in Jesus, we are obligated to speak up.  We must intervene so that others may know about Jesus.  We must get involved so that sin doesn't consume and destroy another soul.

It's on us to share the good news of Jesus.

The consequences are too great to ignore.