Don't Balk!

In baseball, when a pitcher begins his pitch, but does not FOLLOW THROUGH, it is called a “balk.” When a salesman pitches a sale and does not FOLLOW THROUGH with what is agreed upon, it is called “fraud.” When people say they are going to do something and do not FOLLOW THROUGH it may be called either “lip service” or a downright “lie.”

One of my frustrations in ministry is to see how easy it is for people to say they will attend services or doing something else, but then not FOLLOW THROUGH. When I hear the words my expectation is for them to FOLLOW THROUGH, but perhaps they allow other activities to get in the way or they simply lack the desire to do what they said they would do. It used to be that a “man’s word was his bond”, but today when conducting business you had better have it in writing and maybe even notarized. Sad to think that this way of the world has also drifted into the church. However, the tendency is not new. Jesus quoted from Isaiah when he accused some of the Jewish leaders of offering mere lip service. ( Matthew 15:7-9) Lack of FOLLOW THROUGH has been a problem for ages.

Remember Jesus’ parable of the two sons.
“(28) “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ (20) And he answered, ‘I WILL NOT,’ BUT afterward he CHANGED HIS MIND AND WENT. (30) And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I GO, SIR,’ BUT DID NOT GO.” ( Matthew 21:28-30 ESV)

When Jesus went on to ask which of the two sons did the will of his father, the response was “The first.” ( Matthew 21:31) The first son responded in rebellion to the father’s request, but then changed his mind and went. There’s a word for that. The Greek is “metanoia”. Our English word is “repentance”! Perhaps this son began doing something else, but could not enjoy it because in the back of his mind he kept hearing the father’s request. Have we ever experienced such a thing? Fortunately he had a conscience that could still be touched. He was humble enough to admit he was wrong and own up to his error. He also had a desire to do better in the future. This son may not have said another word; just went and got busy. His actions spoke for themselves. He was not enslaved by the past. Though he began wrong he repented and obeyed. He did the will of the father.

The second son, on the other hand, appears to have found it easy to say he would go. Such words of willingness would encourage any father. What a good son. How respectful. Unfortunately, that’s as close to doing as he got. This son did not FOLLOW THROUGH. He may not have lied. He may have really intended to obey, but got side-tracked. Don’t we know that challenge also?!!

In this parable Jesus portrayed two categories of people. There were (and are) the openly irreligious (or rebellious) and the hypocritical professors. He charged the chief priests and elders (acclaimed followers of God’s Law) with rejecting the testimony of John the Baptist (and now rejecting the Messiah Himself) while the tax collectors and the prostitutes (those who were guilty of not following God’s moral code) were entering the kingdom ahead of them. And even when the leaders became aware of this they did not change their own minds so they could enter also. ( Matthew 21:31-32)

Let us remember that quite often it is our actions which speak louder than words. If we have been neglectful, the way to make amends is not to promise better things (though statements for public accountability can strengthen our resolve), but to just get up and do them! As the great Referee of Life, may God not call us on a “balk.” May we also not stand in God’s Court to be charged with “fraud.” Rather let our life move beyond the words to FOLLOW THROUGH in that which is pleasing and glorifying to our Heavenly Father. Let us just do it!

Have a great day LOVINGLY AND LOYALLY LIVING LIFE BEYOND LIP SERVICE!
Carl

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