Initiative. One dictionary offers as a definition, “that which
begins”. It is a character trait each of us should develop, but
often seems like few of us have.
Sadly, it seems that the ‘wicked’ are the ones who develop
this tendency more than any other group. God speaks of
them… hearts that devise wicked plans, feet that run rapidly
to evil (Proverbs 6:18), inventors of evil (Romans 1:30), enticing
by fleshly desires (2nd Peter 2:18), indulgers in gross
immorality going after strange flesh ([homosexuality] Jude 7)
and more.
Even the worldly, Irish poet William Butler Yeats reflected
this truth when he wrote, “The best lack all conviction, while
the worst are full of passionate intensity”.
Jesus of course said it best as He told the parable of a
worldly servant, “The sons of this age are more shrewd in
relation to their own kind than the sons of light”, Luke 16:8.
My hope is that considering this apparent lack of initiative
among Godly people will compel us to do something about
it. Since we are servants, we should serve! The best servants
do not wait around for someone else to tell them what to do
unless they don’t know what to do. And really good servants,
if they don’t know what to do, find something positive and
constructive to do until directed otherwise.
Since it makes no sense to me that God would leave His people
with nothing to do, I must believe that there is always
something that could be done, if we would just see it.

Simple things Jesus mentioned that would matter in the judgment were, feeding the
hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, visiting prisoners, caring for the sick, showing
hospitality to strangers, clothing the naked and the like, Matthew 25:34-36. James
later defined true and undefiled religion as caring for widows and orphans and keeping
oneself unspotted by the world, James 1:27.
I find it interesting that in the judgment scene mentioned above (Matthew 25:31-
46), no one is sent into eternal punishment for the reasons we normally think of.
No one is sent away from God because they were murderers, liars, thieves, fornicators,
adulterers, kidnappers, abusers, or any of the other sinful behaviors with which
we are familiar. Rather, those who are condemned to the eternal fire are those who
simply did not do the good that they knew to do. Why did Jesus put it this way?
My guess is that we already understand the ‘really bad sins’. What we need to learn
is that neglecting to do good when and where we can is just as wrong.
When Jesus gave the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30), He said that they
were sown among the wheat by an enemy while we slept. Perhaps there is more to
this sleeping part than mere incidence.
Marty Kessler