“The Watchman”

 

BIBLE READING: Ezekiel 32-33


                A man got a job as a night watchman at a factory. There had been a lot of thefts by the workers on the night shift and so every morning when the night shift workers passed through his gate it was his job to check their bags and pockets to make sure that nothing was being stolen.

Things were going along very well the first night on the job until a man pushing a wheelbarrow of newspapers came through his gate. Aha, he thought, that man thinks he can cover up what he is stealing with that newspaper. So he removed the paper only to find nothing. Still he felt that the man was acting strangely, so he questioned him about the paper." I get a little extra money from newspapers I recycle, so I go into the lunchroom and pick up all the ones people have thrown away." The guard let him pass but decided to keep a close eye on him. The next night it was the same, and the night after that. Week after week it went on. The same guy would push the wheelbarrow of newspapers past the guard’s checkpoint. The guard would always check and find nothing.  Then one night, about a year later, the guard reported for work only to find a message had been left for him telling him to report to his supervisor. He walked into the supervisor’s office and before he could say a word, the boss said, "You’re fired!".  "Fired?" he asked in total surprise. "Why? What did I do?". "It was your job to make sure that no one stole anything from this plant and you have failed. So you’re fired.". "Wait a minute, what do you mean failed. Nobody ever stole anything from this place while I was on guard.".  "Oh, really," the boss answered. "Then how do you account for the fact that there are 365 missing wheelbarrows?"

            God uses the same analogy for us in Ezekiel 33.  As Christians, we have an obligation to warn people of their sin and point them in the direction of repentance.   Sometimes they change, sometimes they don’t; the choice is theirs’s to make.  If we fail to show them the error of their ways, we fail in reaching out to them in love, their soul is in jeopardy.  Yet in Ezekiel 33, God reminds us that if we choose to not warn them, then we are the ones who are just as guilty.  Although God did give us two ears and one mouth, it was never His intention to keep us silent.  It is our responsibility to warns those who have been overtaken with sin and encourage then to change. If we don’t warn them…then who will?

                                                                                                                                           -Selected

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“Blow-out in Boston”

BIBLE READING: Luke 14 DISCUSSION                                                                                       Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet… Accompanied by her fiancé, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the flower arrangements they liked. They both had expensive taste, and the bill came to $13,000. After leaving a check for half that amount as down payment, the couple went home to flip through books of wedding announcements. The day the announcements were supposed to hit the mailbox, the groom got cold feet. "I'm just not sure," he said. "It's a big commitment. Let's think about this a little longer." When his angry fiancé returned to the Hyatt to cancel the banquet, the manager could not have been more understanding. However, concerning the refund, she h
Read more

The Colors of Christmas: Green

  Discussion:                                    Evergreen plants, like holly and mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long dark winter. They also reminded people that spring would come and winter wouldn't last forever! The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians used to bring palm branches into their houses during the mid-winter festivals. In many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages, “paradise plays” were performed, often on Christmas Eve. They told Bible stories to people who couldn't read. “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden in the play was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it. Today, think about the newness of life we have because we are in Christ. The old man could represent the dark winter and the barren trees. Then think of the bright Christmas trees that are so easily seen! … Help brighten someone’s life this week! Inform
Read more

“Is there Joy in your Heart?”

  DISCUSSION:                              There are so many things going on in this world today that it is easy to let worry have more room in our heart than happiness. In the medical world, we are constantly being reminded of the preventive medicine we need. Unlike 60 years ago when health only entered our minds when we got sick, today we are told continually of so much that can happen to our health if we don’t have this test run, take this pill, or get this shot to prevent some type of virus infecting us. If you allow it, you can give this too much attention. Of course, it is important to have good health. As we get older it really seems to get a lot more of our attention. Don’t let worry about your health take your eyes off the cross. The words of God given wisdom from Solomon in Proverbs 4, we see that a physically healthy heart is important, but to keep focused on good things to keep our spiritual heart clean and healthy. There is no medical test in place to make sure we are
Read more