I saw this statement recently, which I believe is worth considering: “Too many people follow the path of least assistance.” This is true in most everything, but especially in the Lord’s work.
How long has it been since you assisted, in any way, those who are trying to advance the cause of Christ? It is amazing, but true, that churches with the greatest programs are made possible by only a few people. That does not mean that there are only a few members, but only a few who will work. In Christianity the old Indian proverb, “Too many chiefs and not enough Indians” could well fit.
Sometimes we hear people say they would do more if they just knew how. That is a poor excuse! Surely many need to learn how to do the Lord’s work, but a little effort will produce the learning. A person who will not attend a meeting for teachers cannot expect to learn much about teaching. One who does not know how to do personal work, yet will not attend a class designed to teach him, can never learn. We cannot help but wonder if such a person really wants to know how to do more work for the Lord. When opportunities are presented to learn, and one refuses to take advantage of them, is he not following the path of least assistance?
Then there are those who say they would do more if they had opportunities. That also is a strange excuse. We live surrounded by literally thousands of people who have never been converted to Christ, yet we don’t have opportunity to convert them! We hear the constant call for those who will engage in some worthy work for the Lord, but we are without opportunities! The world cries out for the living God, and we hold our lights behind our backs and say, “Show me something to do and I will do it.” Too many of God’s people are only interested in eating the cake, never wanting to make it, even then they want it sliced and brought to them.
I suppose we will always have the group who have mistaken laziness for humility and say, “I would help but I am just not good enough.” They feel their own littleness. We cannot help but wonder if the statement expresses what is really in the heart. I am afraid such people just do not have the energy to grow big enough to do anything.
Can you imagine what it would be like if every person who belongs to the Lord would cease to follow the path of least assistance, and become active in His service? If a few people can make the Lord’s church the fastest growing religious body in less than twenty years, what could all of them do in that length of time? If a few people can make possible the great programs of some of our outstanding churches, imagine what those churches would be doing if everyone decided to assist in the work that needs to be done.
Someone told me recently about a church in one of the denominations, that does more mission work than all churches of Christ combined. It is rather shocking to think about. Of course this church has about twelve thousand members, but all combined we have about two million. It would indicate to me that more people in that group are more interested in spreading their doctrine than our people are in preaching the gospel of Christ. Is it possible we really don’t know what we have? How could one know and yet be satisfied to follow the path of least assistance?
--Cleon Lyles, (deceased) via BLYTHEVILLE CALLING
—THE INFORMER
Vol. 17 No. 6
October 20, 1963
“Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breath more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours.”
—Swedish Proverb