Read Revelation 3:14-22

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.” (Proverbs 1:32 NLT)

We’ve all seen the bumper magnets and bulletin signs urging us to “Keep Christ in Christmas.” While well-intentioned, this phrase often misses the mark. It focuses on preserving a commercialized image of “baby Jesus” rather than embracing the full, transformative power of Christ in our lives. The real challenge we face isn’t just keeping Christ in a holiday—it’s keeping Christ in Christian.

Part 9: Don’t Become Spiritually Complacent. As a film enthusiast, I’ve always been captivated by James Cameron’s epic “Titanic.” While initially skeptical of Leonardo DiCaprio, I couldn’t deny his phenomenal performance alongside Kate Winslet. Their on-screen chemistry brought to life a tragic tale of hubris and complacency.

Beyond the romance, the film vividly portrays the real-life complacency that led to one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters. The ship was deemed “unsinkable,” fostering a dangerous overconfidence among crew and passengers alike. This complacency manifested in insufficient lifeboats, ignored ice warnings, maintained high speeds in treacherous waters, and a lack of proper emergency procedures. This hubris resulted in the tragic loss of over 1,500 lives when the “unsinkable” ship met its fate in the icy Atlantic.

Similarly, we as Christians often fall into spiritual complacency, believing our faith is “unsinkable.” We neglect social justice, focusing solely on individual salvation while ignoring systemic injustices. We prioritize comfort over conviction, hesitating to address problematic teachings or behaviors within our church communities. This might mean staying silent when we hear scripture misinterpreted to justify discrimination, failing to challenge leaders who abuse their authority, or avoiding difficult conversations about how our church responds to social issues. We choose the false peace of avoiding conflict over the sometimes uncomfortable work of aligning our community more closely with Christ’s teachings.

We conflate charity with justice, treating symptoms rather than addressing root causes of oppression. We disconnect faith from action, studying Scripture without allowing it to transform our lives and compel us to act. We retreat into a “Christian bubble” rather than engaging thoughtfully with the broader culture. We neglect discipleship, focusing on attracting crowds rather than producing mature, Christ-like believers. We become numb to global suffering, failing to take meaningful action. We pursue shallow faith, memorizing Bible verses without deep understanding and application.

Like the Titanic’s crew ignoring ice warnings, we ignore the signs of our spiritual drift. Like maintaining high speed in dangerous waters, we rush through life without careful spiritual navigation. Like insufficient lifeboats, we neglect spiritual disciplines that could save us in times of crisis.

The consequences of our complacency may not be as immediately apparent as the Titanic’s fate, but they are no less real. We risk shipwrecking our faith, failing to fulfill our calling as Christ’s disciples, and neglecting our responsibility to be salt and light in the world.

To combat complacency, we must pursue a faith that integrates personal transformation with social responsibility. We must allow the gospel to shape both our individual lives and our engagement with society’s injustices. We must stay vigilant, continually examining our hearts and actions against the standard of Christ’s teachings.

Let us not be like the lukewarm church of Laodicea, content in our perceived spiritual richness while blind to our true poverty. Instead, let us heed Christ’s call to be “hot or cold,” fully committed to living out our faith in all aspects of our lives.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“The opposite of faith is not doubt, it’s certainty.” – Anne Lamott

PRAYER
Lord, shake us from our complacency. Ignite in us a passion for Your justice and mercy. May we never be content with a faith that doesn’t transform us and the world around us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Devotion written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI.