Backbone or Wishbone?

By Greg Groves

How many times have you wished the world were different? Fellow Christians have expressed that view to me. They want God back in schools and the guns and drugs out of them. They want our leaders to be God-fearing people with morals. They want the world to learn the truth of God’s word and not the doctrines of men. However, when it comes to doing something to bring about these changes, they will inevitably back off.

More and more Christians seem to be more wishbone than backbone. They wish this or that was different but refuse to set about to change it. We need to remember the words of Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” To be ready in season and out of season means that he (and we) are to preach the word whether the conditions are favorable or not.

Many are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings or losing a friend if we stand for the truth. I am not saying we should go around condemning people. However, when the opportunity to take a stand for truth presents itself, we should seize it. We are going to offend some if we are standing for what is right but fear of offending should not stop us from doing what is right.

If we want this country to turn around, we have to stop wishing for it and start acting to bring about that turn around. We have to make the decision to stand up for the truth, to preach the word in season and out of season. Make the decision in your life to have more backbone and less wishbone.

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Truth Magazine Vol. XLV: 6  p22  March 15, 2001