Are You Somebody's Excuse?
[Editor's Note: This article was originally published in the Southside Mirror (Peoria, Illinois) on September 19, 1982.]
Last week my son and I drove over to a nearly-fast-food restaurant to pick up dinner. The chicken was in the process of being prepared; so all customers had to wait five minutes (or so). Tim and I sat on one side of a booth to wait. A woman sat down opposite us, but all we saw was her back. She was facing the opposite direction in order to talk to her friends in the next booth. The conversation was very interesting, and it was hard not to listen.
"Do you ever go to that church anymore?" she began, addressing one of the group behind her.
'Sometimes," came the lackluster reply.
"I don't go there anymore," the original woman continued—with something she obviously wanted to say. "I think the preacher's wife uses her condition as an excuse."
"Yeah, she does," one woman agreed.
"She's not even a Christian," chimed in another one.
("What's this?" I thought to myself. "Sounds like they're gossiping." Immediately, however, the plot thickened.)
The rather aggressive woman sitting across from us went on: "You know they both smoke." Judging from the lack of response from the others, chances are they already knew it. "They just can't wait for services to end so they can go outside and smoke their Kool cigarettes."
One of the other women added, "I've heard they even smoke inside the church building." (What was all this leading to? The bottom line was about to appear.)
The leader of the discussion now made her point. "I told that preacher, 'You peach against my beer, and you smoke! You're a hypocrite. You're no better than I am.'" Now it was clear why this conversation had been started. She evidently wanted to make herself feel better by running someone else down.
Several thoughts came to mind. One of the first was regarding her charge that the preacher was no better than she was. So what? Even if she's right, that won't be much of a consolation while they both suffer in hell.
Another idea was that this woman obviously wanted an excuse to live the way she wanted to. She was not really that interested in the Lord or anything spiritual, which was evident from her manner and language. She used some rather foul and unsavory words as she talked. And there was a need in her life (perhaps to soothe her conscience?) to justify her ungodliness.
Another thought struck me. As aggressive as this woman was, what if she suddenly turned around and asked me, "Do you go to church anywhere?" And if I just happened to be smoking a cigarette at the time, what could I say? If I were to say, "Yes," then she'd smile to herself and think, "Hah! Another hypocrite." And if I answered, "No," then she would still feel comfortable, knowing that she was in the presence of another sinner like herself.
There's only one way to influence people in a positive manner, and that is for Christians to live on the highest plain possible [as we sing in the song, "Higher Ground": "I want to live above the world"]; we don't want to be an occasion of stumbling for anyone.
The worldly act in an ironic way. They act like your friend, encourage you to sin, are happy when you give in, and then lose all respect for you. Many years ago some guys I worked with wanted me to go to a tavern with them after work. Since the establishment also served pizza, I consented to go, thinking we would all sit in the pizza section. They all sat at the bar. Against my better judgment, I sat with them. They ordered beer; I ordered a soft drink. Repeatedly, they attempted to get me to drink some of theirs. I felt I had compromised enough and refused to accept their offers.
Many are just like the woman in the restaurant and the guys I worked with. They don't want to believe that anyone can live at a level that is above theirs. They will be inventive in trying to drag someone down, but at the same time they need that example of godly living. It's the only hope they have of something better. When they play the game of "Drag-down," they're miserable when they win and happy when they lose.
Which is it, Christian? Do you live above reproach, as God wants you to? Does your example cause others to hunger and thirst after righteousness? Or, because of some weakness of the flesh or impropriety, are you somebody's excuse for staying out of the kingdom of God?
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE…TO ABSTINENCE?
Whereas, the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage is productive of pauperism, degeneration, and crime, and believing that it is our duty to discourage that which produces more evil than good, we therefore pledge ourselves to abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.
—Pledge written and signed by Abraham Lincoln