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 Trends
can be troublesome things. They are real enough, to be sure, but
often hard to grasp and identify. How do you corral and brand a
tendency? By their very nature, trends are not ends, but are as
intermediaries that lead to ends. They are something like what
whiskers are to beards. As some sage has noted, a whisker is not
a beard. Even several whiskers are not a beard. Now anyone can
tell the difference between a whisker and a beard, but who can
say just how many whiskers make a beard? Though not so tangible
or predictable, little trends, like whiskers, slowly grow into
something. Just what they will grow into is not always obvious
— and not always good — and most certainly, not always easy
to deal with.
A
big reason why trends are so troublesome is that most who go
along with them cannot view them objectively. Nothing blinds
like involvement. None of us like to think that what we have
sanctioned may be wrong or may even lead to wrong. The trouble
is, many unthinkingly jump on the trend-wagon without really
considering where it may take them. And, once aboard, few are
likely to admit they made a mistake by getting on and going
along.
Take
the trend toward permissiveness in our own generation for
example. Almost everyone will acknowledge it, yet who will claim
to have been under its influence? From the family unit all the
way to the highest echelons of government, we have seen the
effects of such a trend. Public conduct and conversation that
would have been considered shameful in another generation can
scarcely find a blush in ours. WHAT IS
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HAPPENING TO US? Even if
we acknowledge the "beard" of
permissiveness, who cares? Who wants to shave it off? Seemingly,
not many.
But
the worst tragedy would be if God's people didn't care. Trends
that affect the nation will be felt in the church. We cannot
deny the permissiveness among us. It can be seen in the
willingness of many churches to go along with most everything
and seldom if ever, take a stand against anything. Only smooth
and inoffensive preaching will be tolerated (Isa. 30: 10: 2 Tim.
4:3,4). The separate and distinctive nature of Cod's people is
being diluted (polluted maybe better) with worldliness. Many
among the set apart people are not — not when they revert to
living like the world; not when the church is allowed to become
a refuge for the ungodly. Discipline is practically unheard of.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO US? Where are those who once stood
uncompromisingly for God's truth? Is it really better for us to
go along in order to get along? Just how bad would things have
to get before it would be proper to speak out? For those who
will listen, God is saying, "already it is time for you to
awake out of sleep..." (Rom. 13:11).
Trends
involve much time and many people. It is not likely that the
nonconforming few will have the time or the influence to reverse
the permissive trend that has crept in among God's people. But
we cannot remain in passive silence. We cannot fellowship the
works of darkness. Wake up! Look into the mirror. See whiskers?
Beard? 'Time to shave'. Dan S. Shipley
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