critical—adj.:
1. of or forming a crisis or turning point; decisive;
2. tending to find fault; censorious;
3. dangerous or risky; causing anxiety;
4. of critics or criticism;
5. of the crisis of a disease

Everywhere you turn, you hear it being said,
in one way or another, that we are in dangerous times
and many people are very anxious.
So much is being said against “America,”
against government, against government officials,
and about the “moral decline of America,”
about the lack of moral fiber in elected officials,
about the absence of consistent standards
among church leaders that
many people are living in fear.

The sad thing about all these “things being said” is that
they are general statements which allow the individual
making the comment to avoid personal responsibility
for the condition being spoken about and, in lamenting
and crying aloud, to encourage others to
avoid that responsibility as well while they focus on
what “others” are doing that is so wrong.

While it is always true that we can see flaws in systems
and other people,
those flaws exist because of choices made by individuals.
Individuals who chose to walk a certain path,
individuals who were drawn to certain actions by their priorities,
individuals who compromised ever so slightly,
individuals who have impacted a nation over a period of time—
but, many of those who have had a strong impact
are not well-known nor were they politicians or religious leaders—
they were individuals who made a choice on the road of life
that led them to be less than God would have had them to be and
to cause others around them to be less than
God would have had them be—
mothers and fathers who produced the individuals and
the attitudes living in America today.

The great deceit is that it is not you and I,
but the “government,” or “elected officials,” or
“a fallen church leader” who has corrupted the environment.
Convincing us that it is “others” keeps us from looking
too closely at ourselves,
from examining too closely our individual lives and choices.
It succeeds in transferring responsibility
(therefore, the need to make change)
from my shoulders to some “others” over whom I have no control
and that makes me NOT responsible.
It is “their fault” and I must fight against them and
their agenda in order to restore “perfection.”

However, there is an important consideration we are overlooking:
God deals with individuals and
requires accountability from individuals!

Check it out: God’s prophets in the Old Testament
came proclaiming the need for individuals to repent
so that the nation could be saved from the sure consequences
that would come (2 Chronicles 7:13-15, one example of many).
God has always held individuals responsible
for the state of the nation and indicated judgement of a nation
would come based on the behavior of the people (individuals).

Jesus came to earth during a time of hard oppression
for the Jewish people. Rome was not an easy taskmaster and there were
many zealots who worked for the destruction of that government.
Yet, Jesus did not spend His time criticizing Rome
nor did He encourage others to be disobedient to the laws of the land.
Not once can I find that Jesus recommended that
the people rise up and “fix the government”
that was blatantly oppressive and evil.
He did, however, criticize the Pharisees
(the religious leaders of the day)
for their lack of spiritual depth and that, I believe,
is what Jesus would criticize us for today.

What we need to “fix” is us—
and this can only happen
when we allow God to conform us
to the image of His Son, Christ Jesus (Romans 8:29).
It can only happen when our focus becomes Jesus
and our energies are directed toward knowing God
and His word:
“do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind that you may prove
what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”
(Romans 12:2).
I believe this occurs when we follow the admonition in Hebrews 12:2—
”fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.”
Focus on Jesus, who during His life on earth instructed people
to focus on God and His kingdom, not the kingdoms of this world.
Jesus taught people to seek the kingdom of God
NOT fix the kingdoms of this world!

So our battle is not with “others” or the “government,”
it is with ourselves. It is me, it is you!
Our fingers should not point any further than our own
standards, behavior and choices.

Examine, if you dare, your own “entertainment”:
does it cause you to be a better person,
does it lead you to think of God or His ways,
does it help mold you into the image of Christ Jesus,
would you be comfortable if Jesus were sitting next to you?
If not, why are you participating in it?
Have you been deceived into believing that there are
areas of your life in which God is not interested?
Have you been blinded by the god of this world?
(Check out the parable of the sower for some valuable insights.)

Reality check:
If you thought you would not get caught—
would you cheat = steal] on your income tax?
(justification is easy . . . the government has
plenty of money and I work hard for what I earn
and anyway they don’t use it the way it should be used);
would you take merchandise home from a store
without paying for it?
(you know, the scanner fails to accurately scan an item
and you just don’t mention it;
rationalization follows . . . after all, I’ve bought plenty
in there and they make a profit on the other stuff;
this is just my discount);
of course, if an “overcharge” occurs, it must be corrected
and we are quick to point it out (talk about a double standard)!

What choices have you made that show you to be a “Christian”
—a follower of Christ?
Is the standard you require of others at work in your life?
Check out Romans 2:21-24,
“you who preach against stealing, do you steal?
You who say that people should not commit adultery,do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
As it is written:
‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’”

It is my belief that the greatest enemy
of reform and lasting change is
the same enemy that was identified in
the account of the first fall of man from perfection—
satan, the father of lies, the great deceiver.
It is he who assists us in our headlong plunge into destruction.
It is he who offers us thoughts to help justify
what we do and condemn what “others” do—
he is the “accuser of the brethren” and
he is constantly looking for recruits!
“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?
To his own master he stands or falls.” (Romans 14:4)

Paul said it very clearly in Philippians 2:14,
“Do everything without complaining or arguing”.
That doesn’t leave room for most of what is being said today.
Another clear admonition by Paul is in Ephesians 4:29,
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen.”
It doesn’t seem to me that we are doing very much
“building up” with our conversation that
repeats political rhetoric instead of personal opinions,
used insults and demeaning words against any who disagree, etc.

What kind of an influence are the “Christians” of America
exerting that would cause others to “put on the mind of Christ”?
Where are the energies of Christians directed?
Are we “seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”
so that God’s purposes will be served or
are we determined to walk according to our own will and
what we have decided is best?
Are we shining a light in the darkness,
are we allowing God’s love to flow through us?

So, America may indeed be in a “critical phase,”
dangerous or risky;
but, if that is true,
it is because you and I are in a “critical phase,”
tending to find fault with “others’ constantly
while not examining ourselves.
We have assumed the position of “accusers”
when we should be assuming the position of
falling on our faces before God and
humbly asking for His wisdom to guide our lives,
not deciding our “agenda” is God’s – that is arrogant!.

Time spent in God’s word and
in His presence will result in changed hearts
in individuals and that is what will result in
a changed America!

“It is time for judgment
to begin with
the family of God . . .”
I Peter 4:17