Prepared to Death

Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 5:11; Titus 3:10-11

On picket duty during a forty-day punitive expedition against Comanches in the Texas Staked Plains, a trooper lassoed his horse and wrapped the lariat around his body. He remarked to a fellow trooper that if he went to sleep the horse couldn’t stray. His excessive precaution cost his life. During the night an approaching buffalo herd spooked his horse, and it ran away, dragging the sleeping cavalryman to his death.

Why did that soldier even think of sleep? The very nature of a watchman (in this case called a picket) means wakefulness. As the first line of defense, he had to stay alert to protect his sleeping comrades.

Christians are too often like that trooper. We fall asleep at our tasks by failing to discharge them promptly, if at all, or by giving only half-hearted efforts. And where are our fellow Christians at such a time? The buzz word in too many congregations is unconditional, not accountable. Unconditional is a comforting word since it erects no standards, imposes no expectations, and makes no demands—and leaves us each to determine when and how much to change. Accountability rouses us from our spiritual somnolence, raises expectations for us, and holds us to the high calling of God.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.