COMPLACENCY ROSS SMITH 19062013
ARE NOT THE IDLE, THE LAX, THOSE LACKING IN AMBITION AND DETERMINATION, ALWAYS WAITING FOR A MIRACLE.
Proverbs _6:6 GO TO THE ANT, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!
It is very humbling when there is an injunction like this one in Proverbs when you think that there might be some small component that applies to us. Can I ever be accused of putting off till tomorrow what I need to do today? And yet one is the smallest creatures God created is given me as an example of how to go about things.
I think COMPLACENCY is a characteristic that Father abhors, for He is the One Who is on time every time for every situation. It contradicts His nature, and we were made in His image and likeness, so the defect has to be of my making.
Do we need to define COMPLACENCY so that we do not misinterpret what the condition is?
“Self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies” (I think this is a rather superficial and bland observation of the condition … comments mine)
Proverbs 1:32 Indeed, the waywardness of the naïve will kill them, and the COMPLACENCY OF FOOLS WILL DESTROY THEM. (what an indictment, fools are complacent, or complacency qualifies us as fools … comments mine)
But I have pondered this subject a little more and find that we really do not understand the intricacies of COMPLACENCY. Let me explain, I find that COMPLACENCY covers myriad more areas than first contemplated. They are:-
Slothfulness, laziness, indolence, slackness, disinterest, self centeredness, ambivalence, double mindedness, lackadaisical behavior, disorganisation, unreliability, repetitiveness, lethargy, apathy, blandness, indecision. Slovenliness. ALL THESE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF COMPLACENCY
COMPLACENCY has very little to do with intelligence but everything to do with ATTITUDE or HEART as we have seen in SPIRITUAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. We have heard the expression, “He has a heart after God, or cricket, or music etc and this just means his attitude is positive and because of this he is able to sweep aside the unimportant (to him) and set his heart with a priority. By the way “Priority” is singular, not “Priorities”, having “Priorities” suggests divided loyalties.
The bible says quite plainly
Matthew 6:33 But SEEK (aim at and strive after) FIRST of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together (all our other “priorities!!!! … comments mine) will be given you besides. (This suggests that there is only one priority … comments mine)
Colossians 3:2 And SET YOUR MINDS and keep them SET on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.
Hebrews 12:2 LOOKING AWAY [FROM ALL THAT WILL DISTRACT] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Much of the behavior of the “COMPLACENT” is summed up in “Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can put off till next week”
We would be offended if someone suggested that we were complacent however if I begin to explore my attitude/heart, are there little foxes spoiling the vines
Song of Solomon 2:15 Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that destroy the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.”
What are some examples of where we might display some of “THE offspring of COMPLACENCY?”
- PAYING THE BILLS ON TIME
- ON TIME FOR APPOINTMENTS
- LEAVING ESSAYS OR STUDIES TILL THE LAST MINUTE
- PLAIGIARISM
- FORGETTING WHAT WE COMMITTED OURSELVES TO DO
- HEALTH CHECKS
- TAX RETURNS
- CAR SERVICE
- DEFROSTING THE FRIG
- WRITING LETTER
- PHONING SOMEONE WHO IS ILL
- ADD IN HERE YOUR LIST!!!!!
How mundane these things appear until we realise that they constitute elements of COMPLACENCY
By the way, REPETITIVENESS is where we resolve to do something again and again, AND IT NEVER HAPPENS!!! This is different to OCD which is a medical condition.
Mark 12:30 And you must love the Lord your God WITH ALL your heart, WITH ALL your soul, WITH ALL your mind, and WITH ALL your strength.’ (NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY ….. comments mine)
In a country like we live in there is little pressure to achieve, we have never really faced pressures that require us to meet time lines, commitments, deadlines etc, we are generally a very laid back nation of people. We can see this in a lack of response to issues of morality that grace the headlines of our newspapers on a daily basis. Even the Prime Minister (Rudd) who claims to be a Christian now indicates he is in favour of gay marriage. And yet I do not hear the church or the populace at large objecting to this proposition, not because we might be vilified but simply because we are complacent.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you vow a vow or make a pledge to God, DO NOT PUT OFF paying it; for God has no pleasure in fools (those who witlessly mock Him). Pay what you vow.
Do we need to explore the commitments we have made to the Lord and have started off well and then our commitment fell into neglect.
Luke 18:7-8 And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?
God has made a solemn pledge to us but then clearly points out in the latter part of this verse that he has some concern about our complacent attitude
One of the most glaring examples of COMPLACENCY in the Word is the parable of THE TEN VIRGINS.
Matthew 25:1-11 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent). For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them; But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps. While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him! Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise replied, There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves. But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us! But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].
The symbol of the lamps here is significant in that there are several aspects involved. There is not just a lamp, but includes the wick, the oil and the oil can. We will cover this later, but for now the LIGHT is the most important, and it again follows the promises of Isaiah 58 regarding light, for it is a very important identifying factor of God’s people, those “walking in the light”, together with those “filled with light”, it becomes a familiar symbol of true Christian life.
While all the girls were virgins, all had lamps, all were invited to the wedding, five of them couldn’t be bothered to maintain their readiness. Even the wise virgins fell asleep while awaiting the bridegroom, but at least they had the good sense to maintain their light. The foolish virgins said “Give us some of your oil”, but as recorded they were unlucky, no preparation, no wedding. How relevant, how indicative of COMPLACENCY.
This is the same with Christendom today, there can be that “flare”, that superficial goodness that shines briefly but has no continuous supply. (See PREPARATION, PRESENTATION, DEMONSTRATION, CONTINUATION) The light flares but quickly fades, no enduring light, a plain indication of a COMPLACENT CHRISTIAN, still a Christian, just like “still a virgin”, they are obvious for a while, exhibiting religious emotion which looks like devotion, but is characterized by a lack of FOLLOW THROUGH
Here are some scriptures that will assist in exploring this subject further, but do not put off your study!!!!!
Hebrews 10:37 For still a little while (a very little while), and the Coming One will come and He will not DELAY.
2Peter 3:9 The Lord does not DELAY and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
Proverbs 3:28 Do not say to your neighbor, Go, and come again; and TOMORROW I will give it–when you have it with you.
Proverbs 27:1 DO NOT boast of [yourself and] TOMORROW, for you know not what a day may bring forth.
James 4:13 Come now, you who say, TODAY OR TOMORROW we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money.
James 4:14 Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen TOMORROW. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].
Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casts one into a deep sleep, and the idle person shall suffer hunger.
Ecclesiastes 10:18 THROUGH INDOLENCE the rafters [of state affairs] decay and the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
THIS IS A STUDY THAT WILL NO DOUBT PROVIDE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPANSION, AND IT WILL BE PROFITABLE IF THE OBSERVATIONS OF MANY ARE INCORPORATED SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS SCOURGE
Ross Smith 