A Question of Balance
Do you find yourself pulled one way and then in nearly the opposite direction? When I was younger, I remember my first exposure to extreme political ideologies. Someone on campus would promote a basically Marxist position, which I found totally unattractive; but then I’d read a publication they’d given me, and I’d be so confused. At that stage of my life, I expected people to be honest, and the evident sincerity made what I read seem so reasonable. How could I not agree? If I didn’t accept the conclusions, then I felt twinges of guilt over the problems they described, most vividly, as if they were my fault.
If anything, proponents of various ideas have become even more effective at pulling the heartstrings, and the issues cover the gamut of life—home, community, work, school, society, and government. Perhaps this is one reason why so many people simply refuse to listen or read about controversial topics; they opt not to become confused by the many conflicting positions, all supported by touching, emotional stories and arguments.
I worked for nearly 15 years in a “pro-family” ministry. I remember noticing often how troubled many conscientious parents became, believing they had failed to follow all the wonderful family instruction that had become available. I realized that what we were teaching was often creating a deep sense of failure and guilt, rather than encouragement. In truth, no one could do all the things that the overabundance of family ministries was promoting. I also came to doubt that all the problems would necessarily be resolved through such teaching. In other words, the problems came from roots that “pro-family” ideas alone might not cure.
Consider a different question: should every church member become an overseas missionary? Of course not is the obvious answer, yet missionary speakers talk as if everyone should. Being fully committed to their calling, they feel that everyone else should as fully committed to it. Suppose we attend a series of meetings at a missionary conference, and different speakers urge us to hear the need in several different places. Should we try to get involved with all of them? While it might be good to pray for each of them, we must limit deeper involvement, of necessity, to only one if any.
On the other hand, Bob Pierce (founder of World Vision) has said, “Don’t fail to do something just because you can’t do everything.” How does that old proverb go: “For the lack of a nail, the shoe was lost; for lack of a shoe, the horse was lost; for lack of a horse, the soldier was lost, for lack of the soldier the battle was lost; in losing the battle, the war was lost…all for the lack of a nail?” A multitude of choices or the enormity of the task does not exonerate us in doing nothing! Parents may be overwhelmed by all they might do, but most of all they must first truly love their children; many failures come through self-centered parenting, pure selfishness, or unwillingness to sacrifice for their most precious gift and responsibility. The immensity of our world and the vast population of the lost and needy must not keep us from accepting whatever specific call God directs to each of us. Remember that important nail.
Earlier this year, I read Culture Making by Andy Crouch, and he persuasively argued that the task of a Christian is not to change the world, a message I have since heard remarkably often. Instead, we are to be the hand of God to influence the tiny piece of the world where he puts us, to be “salt” and “light” as he commanded. I think he’s right. Changing the world is God’s mission, not mine, one I share by doing my work as his work. My mission is to do what he tells me and all of us to do, what he specifically calls me to do, and what moment by moment he leads me to do. It’s all a question of balance.