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Are
We Washing Our Hands?
We suppose that the most famous (or infamous) hand-washer in history was
Pilate, who sought to absolve himself of responsibility in the
crucifixion of Jesus by washing his hands in a basin of water. “I am
innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it,” he said
to the Jewish tumult (Matthew 27:24). The washing of one’s hands was
symbolic of moral and spiritual cleanness, but no basin of water was
going to wash Pilate’s responsibility away (Psalm 26:6).
We wonder if it might be that many of us today are seeking to “wash our
hands” of the responsibility we have toward our fellow man, specifically
in teaching him the gospel. Beloved, if this is true of us, let us
resolve now to repent of our inactivity.
It can be so easy to convince ourselves that we’ve absolved ourselves of
the responsibility. We have families to care for. We have to make a
living. We should have some ‘down time,’ too. There is no doubting
these, but too often we allow our busy-ness in these keep us from seeing
the wretched state and (consequently) needs of our sin-sick neighbors
and acquaintances. Are THEIR needs not important?
The truth is that we can care for our jobs, our families, and other
aspects of our lives and still find the time to focus our attention on a
world that has “no hope” and is “without Christ”
(Ephesians 2:12).
You say, “I don’t have the time.” If that is true, then you are too
busy. (No, we are not trying to be callous and unsympathetic to your
plight; but you are simply too busy.) “Redeem the time,” the
Scripture says, and what better use could be made of our bought-back
time than spending it in the pursuit of soul-saving? (Ephesians 5:16)
But for most of us, the statement, “I don’t have the time,” is not a
correct assessment of the situation. We may genuinely think that it is,
but it is not. No, beloved -- we are making excuses in an attempt to
clear ourselves of the responsibility of soul-winning. We are spending
too much time on house upkeep, land care, recreation,
television-watching, and the like, all the while taking our minds off
what is truly important. We are trying to “wash our hands” of the
matter, but will this ‘wash’ with the Lord?
If needed, will you pledge now to do better?
What a wonderful thing it would be if we could truthfully say, “I am
innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare...
the whole counsel of God to others” (Acts 20:7).
--Mike Noble
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