Complacency

One of my favorite Newsboys songs is “Lost the Plot” from the album Take Me To Your Leader. I think it chronicles our downward spiral towards complacency and a lack of focus on what our jobs as followers of Christ actually are.

 

When you come back again
would you bring me something from the fridge?
Heard a rumour that the end is near
but I just got comfortable here.
 

sigh.
Let's be blunt.
I'm a little distracted.
What do you want?

Headaches and bad faith
are all that I've got.
First I misplaced the ending
then I lost the plot.

Out among the free-range sheep
while the big birds sharpen their claws.
For a time we stuck with the shepherd
but you wouldn't play Santa Claus.

sigh.
Let's be blunt.
We're a little distracted.
What do you want?

Once we could follow,
now we cannot.
You would not fit our image,
so we lost the plot.

Once we could hear you,
now our senses are shot.
We've forgotten our first love.
We have lost the plot.

When I saw you for the first time
you were hanging with a thief
And I knew my hands were dirty,
and I dropped my gaze.
Then you said I was forgiven
and you welcomed me with laughter.
I was happy ever after.
I was counting the days
when you'd come back again.
we'll be waiting for you
When you comin' back again?
we'll be ready for you
Maybe we'll wake up when...
maybe we'll wake up when
you come back again.

lies.
Let's be blunt.
We're a little unfaithful.
What do you want?

Are you still listening?
'Cause we're obviously not
We've forgotten our first love
We have lost the plot.

And why are you still calling?
You forgave, we forgot.
We're such experts at stalling
that we've lost the plot.
lost the plot

When you come back again
would you bring me something from the fridge?
Heard a rumour that the end is near
but I just got comfortable here.

Peter Furler and Steve Taylor

Are we distracted? Have we “Lost the Plot?” Have we been gradually desensitized?

I think we’ve become comfortable and complacent when it comes to our faith. It’s easy to stick to what we’re used to and what feels safe to us. It’s easy to warm our seat every Sunday morning and call it worship. It’s easy to write a check to a mission and call it service.

We forget at times that we were never promised an easy life. Following Christ can be hard. From His sermon on the mount, Jesus said this;

 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14 New International Version, ©2010 (NIV)

That doesn’t sound like an easy life nor does it sound like the popular choice but it’s our calling. If we’re going to be obedient, it’s our responsibility to stop stalling and get with the program. This is the way that leads to life.

I’m ready to get out of the fridge. Are you?