Week of Monday April 14 - April 20
Sound the Alarm– Man as Battle Buddy
“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.” - Ezekiel 33:1-6 ESV
Ever had a warning light pop up on a vehicle? Most of us have. Typically, when we see a warning light, we don’t ignore it, we take action to solve the problem, right? Yet some don’t seem to take warning lights too seriously. Recently published in the New York Post:
The poll, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Kelley Blue Book Service Advisor, asked 2,000 American drivers — 1,000 each from Generations Y and Z — about their vehicular responsibilities… younger drivers will hold off investigating as long as possible — waiting through an average of eight warning lights on their dashboards before they call a mechanic…
Ezekiel was what we might call the proverbial “warning light.” As a faithful watchman, Ezekiel was charged with warning God’s rebellious people that judgment was coming and the only appropriate response was to repent…or else. This was in no way a glamourous assignment nor was it in any way popular. Yet as a watchman, Ezekiel did as God asked. He was faithful to God’s charge even though God had told him from the beginning that most people would ignore him (Ezekiel 3:7).
It is no different today. When it comes to the spiritual lives of most people, regardless of their age, the flashing warning lights on the dashboard of their hearts go mostly ignored. Whatever attitudes, habits or disobedience that is causing spiritual malfunction is overlooked until the situation gets so bad, that failure is inevitable, and disaster is on the horizon.
That’s why our role as God’s Watchmen is just as important today as ever before! As we survey the lives of those in our circle of influence, there are likely men whose attitudes and actions are flashing the equivalent of warning lights. Most of us have more on our hands than we can handle. The temptation is to look the other way, or at best, we might say a quick prayer over one these wayward men and keep moving.
Yet the call to be a Battle Buddy requires more. We must lovingly and firmly warn and speak words of correction and discipline. Proverbs 27:6 tells us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” This approach may be uncomfortable and even unappreciated, but just as the watchman faithfully declared what was necessary, not what was popular, God’s truth spoken out of love can do its work in the hearts of those who need it. Who knows that guy friend may take it seriously, repent, and experience God’s forgiveness and restoration. So, be faithful to sound the alarm.
Sound the Alarm– Man as Battle Buddy
“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.” - Ezekiel 33:1-6 ESV
Ever had a warning light pop up on a vehicle? Most of us have. Typically, when we see a warning light, we don’t ignore it, we take action to solve the problem, right? Yet some don’t seem to take warning lights too seriously. Recently published in the New York Post:
The poll, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Kelley Blue Book Service Advisor, asked 2,000 American drivers — 1,000 each from Generations Y and Z — about their vehicular responsibilities… younger drivers will hold off investigating as long as possible — waiting through an average of eight warning lights on their dashboards before they call a mechanic…
Ezekiel was what we might call the proverbial “warning light.” As a faithful watchman, Ezekiel was charged with warning God’s rebellious people that judgment was coming and the only appropriate response was to repent…or else. This was in no way a glamourous assignment nor was it in any way popular. Yet as a watchman, Ezekiel did as God asked. He was faithful to God’s charge even though God had told him from the beginning that most people would ignore him (Ezekiel 3:7).
It is no different today. When it comes to the spiritual lives of most people, regardless of their age, the flashing warning lights on the dashboard of their hearts go mostly ignored. Whatever attitudes, habits or disobedience that is causing spiritual malfunction is overlooked until the situation gets so bad, that failure is inevitable, and disaster is on the horizon.
That’s why our role as God’s Watchmen is just as important today as ever before! As we survey the lives of those in our circle of influence, there are likely men whose attitudes and actions are flashing the equivalent of warning lights. Most of us have more on our hands than we can handle. The temptation is to look the other way, or at best, we might say a quick prayer over one these wayward men and keep moving.
Yet the call to be a Battle Buddy requires more. We must lovingly and firmly warn and speak words of correction and discipline. Proverbs 27:6 tells us, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” This approach may be uncomfortable and even unappreciated, but just as the watchman faithfully declared what was necessary, not what was popular, God’s truth spoken out of love can do its work in the hearts of those who need it. Who knows that guy friend may take it seriously, repent, and experience God’s forgiveness and restoration. So, be faithful to sound the alarm.
- Have you invested enough relational capital with the men in your life to speak truth when their spiritual “warning lights” are flashing?
- Have you developed an accountability system in your life with another man of God who can speak truth to you?
- Ask God to give you a sensitivity and love for the men who need a truth teller in their lives, as well as the courage to speak His word to them.