September 9
Isaiah 3:1-5:30 | PS 53:1-6 | Prov 22:28-29 | 2 Cor 11:1-15
Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis confronted a dangerous situation on the maternity ward in Vienna in the 1850’s. He noted the death rate from puerperal fever (or infection after childbirth) was nearly 10%. After careful observation he realized that the infection rate was worse at a particular time frame every day. He realized that things were worst on that shift the interns would leave their time working on cadavers and go directly to the delivery ward. His simple solution was that they should wash their hands before tending to patients on the maternity ward. Though the infection rate dramatically declined, Dr. Semmelweis was ostracized for his stance. He was soon removed from his position, lost his ability to practice. A few years later he was coerced by some former colleagues to go visit a mental asylum which he was then admitted into. He mysteriously died two weeks later after being beaten. Two decades later his work was verified, but this was after his death. What is happening in our world is not new. Whenever one goes against the establishment, one can expect confrontation, and eventual persecution if you don’t fall in line. The question is what is it that you deem worth pushing back for? The next question is when confronted, what will you do, recant to protect, or stand firm and accept what transpires? For Semmelweis, for the sake of his patients he lost his reputation, his career, and eventually his life. When Martin Luther was confronted and threatened with his life, he said, "I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."
We see that things were tumultuous in Isaiah's times, as we read in Isaiah 1:23, "Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows." Though most refuse to acknowledge so, there are two sides to most issues: God's side and the other side. But society is in jeopardy when God's views are diminished, as we read in Isaiah 5:20-21, 23, "What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever...They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish the innocent." As in our times we read in 3:5, "Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable." Though it might seem that evil has the upper hand, this will not last, as we read in 2:11, "Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment."
So, as we find ourselves living when evil is called good, and good, evil; what is our response? Do we remain quiet? Do we refrain from offering our opinion? Edmund Burke said, "“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” We must all look into the mirror and ask ourselves who we are and what we stand for? Do we love God more than this world? Do we seek Him and His truth over the world's truths? It is time for boldness, not cowardice. It is time to stop pretending that we can walk that fine line between both worlds and go unnoticed. We read in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: