When I asked my friend if she was planning to attend church, she just shook her head. "I haven't gone in a long time," she said.
"Besides, it's too late for me. I've probably already broken all seven commandments."
It's really not funny. It pokes fun at a culture that has forgotten the important guidelines that God wrote with His own hand for Moses!
Why not test yourself right now? How many of the Ten Commandments can you name? Do you know where to find them (other than Google)? After you've jotted them down on paper or in your mind, check yourself by grabbing a Bible and looking in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. How'd you do?
This morning I read Jeremiah 9 and was struck with God's strong remarks about lying! Apparently Judah was consumed with patterns of lying that were destroying trust among the people and breaking the heart of God!
[God speaking] With tongues bent like bows they shoot their lies at one another. Truth does not win out in this land; deceit always seems to triumph. One evil leads to another because they don't know who I am...every brother is ready to cheat and deceive; every neighbor is prepared to lie when it suits him. In this land of liars, friends have no misgivings about deceiving one another; no one even thinks to tell the truth. They've trained their tongues to utter lies; they wear themselves out with all their sinning. Jeremiah, you live in a place where deception is assumed; as their lies pile up, they refuse to acknowledge Me.
It occurred to me that this could very well be a description of our American culture. We are reaping the benefits of Seinfeld and Friends from previous decades. We've scrubbed the Ten Commandments from our school walls and public forums. A mere 20% of our population attend worship on any given Sunday. Honesty and integrity are exceptional descriptors today and we marvel when we see their examples.
Businesses pass on their losses from shop-lifting and we all pay the price of a culture that is losing its underpinnings. I could go on, but do I really need to?
The end result of Jeremiah's message was to see the people hauled away into exile in Babylon! No one knows yet what the end result will be for America.
But for those of us who care, what can we do?
The answer is obvious.
Exhibit honesty and integrity in all our dealings! Practice, model and exhort conformity to God's 'Big Ten'. Talk about these things to our children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors. Do it while you're playing, or during a meal, or when you take a walk together (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)!
Begin again to weave a cultural fabric that's founded on the principles taught in God's Word! Believe with all our hearts that God will honor such behavior (because He does!).
Resist conformity to cultural modes. Set high, godly standards for all who are watching you live your life.
There was a day in our history when deals were made and sealed with a handshake. A man's word was a thing of value. Let's forge a future that has the same power! I'll work hard at it - how about you?
For a related post, check out "I Lied" (written November 15, 2011).
No comments:
Post a Comment