Introduction:
Once upon a time there was a hurricane named Charlie that tore through part of the United States. After it had caused much destruction and loss, a family travelled to one of the wet and damaged area's to clean up the mess left by the storm on a property belonging to a relative. This story isn't really about them, though, but about something they saw along the way.
On the way to their destination, this aforementioned family saw a house which had been damaged by Charlie, and on the porch of that damaged house sat its owner. There he sat, lazily watching the traffic (probably drinking a beer), with his red socks propped up on the porch railing, doing nothing to better the condition of his house. He was just waiting for FEMA, or some helpful team to come and do the work for him. Here I take my creative leave to make a sort of nutrient rich story, with a precise meaning, and analogy of sorts.
Part I:
Mr. Redsocks sat there on his porch, sipping his cold beer; he looked about him at his dilapidated house..."If my house is gonna get fixed you'll provide for that won't you LORD?" He asked. Though there was no thunder or clap of lighting to answer him, he felt sure that he knew what the answer was, so he smiled and leaned back his chair and continued to sip his cold beer. There he sat, like a lazy bum until FEMA came along and offered to fix up his house. But in the meantime, he complained about the leaky roof, the broken windows, the trees down in his yard etc. So naturally he was all for FEMA fixing up his place! "Hallelujah! You provided LORD! I knew you would."
Part II:
Mr. Redsox sat there on his porch, sipping his cold beer; he looked about him at his dilapidated house..."If my house is gonna get fixed you'll provide for that won't you LORD, I mean the strength and the money and such?" He asked. Though there was no thunder or clap of lighting to answer him, he felt sure that he knew what the answer was, so he smiled and picked up his tool box and walked round to the back of the house where his truck was parked stacked with the plywood, boards, sheet metal, drywall, nails, screws, etc. which he had bought earlier that day. So he set to work fixing up his house. Mr. Redsox's example of "git-up-and-git-'er-done" was quite an encouragement to all his neighbors, so they all did likewise, and pitched in to help each other so that the hard work would go faster and they would all have livable houses again.
Conclusion:
Which of the two men had the right idea? They both wanted their houses fixed up, but one complained and waited for the right people to come along and do it. The other was pro-active in fixing his house himself. It was a lot of long hours, and really hard work, but because of his commitment, he encouraged his neighbors, and they came and helped him, and did likewise. They saw that the answer was to get up and do things for themselves since no one else was going to do it and their houses would only continue to rot if they didn't set to work. Both Mr. Redsocks and Mr. Redsox trusted God to provide for the re-building of their houses, and He did as they expected (in this case) but which man did the right thing? Which man acted responsibly and obeyed God's commands? God does not like lazy complainers as Israel's wilderness story makes clear.
Now perhaps you will make the point that perhaps Mr. Redsocks was just daunted by the amount of work that lay before him, and perhaps he just felt incapable and unskilled for the task...maybe, but does that justify his actions? What is FEMA hadn't have come along?
My friends, the future must start now. Because if the future starts in the future, then it will never begin at all. You and I are the future. (I am particularly speaking to the younger generation "teens" and twenties, youth, young people...not that it is applicable to that age only, not at all.) This analogy was written with the political and spiritual condition of this country, the freest and best in the world, the United States of America, in view. What will we do brethren? Will we complain of the political state of this counrty, and will we mourn over the liberalization of our churches, and do nothing? Do we cower at thinking of being a lonely voice, or a solitary island, and so we do nothing? Somebody has to do something, and it must be us brothers and sisters, because we are the future. Nobody is going to fix our broken down house for us. We are "coming of age" and others are growing older and passing out of this world. We must act, and I call particularly upon my brothers in Christ (because I do not believe that women should be in positions of government etc. but that's another whole post), my brothers, you must grow up into men, you must grow out of being Christian boys, into Christian men. We need strong men, we need reformed leaders in our pulpits, especially in our pulpits, we need Christian judges, senators, statesmen and so on. And sisters, we must also be strong, we must cultivate within ourselves with the help of The Spirit that same strengths courage which brings to mind women like Esther. Have you ever heard of George Washington? Robert Lee? How about Thomas Jackson? Have you ever read the writings of men such and Patrick Henry, John Witherspoon and countless others from years long gone? These men were models of Christian strength and fearlessness (and there is a difference between fearlessness and rashness). Such strength! Where is it found today? I don't see it, so brothers and sisters we must look to God, his Holy Scripture, and to those men and women with which He has graced this earth, and this country with, and by whom we may see strong Christian characters and follow in their bold footsteps.
Do not selfishly think only of yourself, think of others, your peers, your elders, those younger than you, your future wives and husbands, your future children, that's called a generational mindset...and that is why we must, MUST, my brothers and sisters take our tools in our hands and work, and work hard. Because the future starts now, with you and with me, but the results of our work, or lack thereof, will last whole generations beyond us.