The Danger of Neutraility

I'm an introvert. I haven't always been that way, but that's what I am. For many people like me, conflict and confrontation is one of the most stressful things to experience. It's much easier to be neutral and play the role of peacemaker without taking sides rather than to risk confrontation. It's less stressful to tolerate a little bit of everything from everyone rather than exclude someone and be called out by them. But there's danger in neutrality - grave danger.

In the book of Joshua, as he is nearing death, Joshua is preparing his final words to the Israelites. He reminds them of what God has done. He warns them against worshiping the gods of those that they have come in contact with and defeated. He warns them against marrying into the families of those they have conquered. Then he leaves them with a decision to make - "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (24:15-16)

Why is it so dangerous to be neutral though? Why is it such a bad thing to maintain peace through tolerance?

First and foremost, we will be judged by a perfectly holy God. There is no neutrality in that judgment; we either chose Him and accept His redemption or we are judged as guilty by our passiveness. There is no room to straddle the fence.

Peace through tolerance is like inviting a thief into your home and being surprised that you are missing some items when he leaves. Yes, we are called to extend love and grace to everyone, but that does not mean we intentionally put ourselves around sinful situations and hope that it works out. Most likely, you begin to slowly pick up the habits of that sinful behavior until you wake up one day and it has completely overtaken you. It's how sin works - gently and gradually.

In Matthew 6:24 we are reminded that "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other." Let's be clear on this point: a decision to choose neither is not being neutral, it is choosing to remain the authority in and of yourself. So Joshua's call to decisiveness is actually two-fold: First to chose who you will serve, but at the same time, chose who you will deny. That choice includes either choosing or denying yourself as the ultimate authority in your life.