Go Jump in the Lake

When I was a kid and really wanted to do something that my folks had already said no to, I would say, “Well everybody else is doing it.” Then I would get that standard reply that all moms and dads learn in parenting school, “If everybody went and jumped in the lake, would you?” It always seemed logical to me that if the majority was doing it then it must be all right. Not so.

When it comes to the Lord’s work, we still do this very thing, even though we’re supposed to be grown-up and mature. We make excuses in order to justify either doing or not doing something by comparing ourselves to the majority. We shouldn’t compare our Christian service with others because in the end we’ll only be accountable for what we do as individuals (Romans 14:12). Rather we should use ourselves as a measuring device to see if we stack up. Ask yourself, “If someone patterned his life after mine would that person be saved?” Think about it.