"Complacency"

 

“Complacency”

 

The 1969 World Series and Super Bowl III in the same year had several things in common:

*A New York team (Mets and Jets respectively) defeated one from Baltimore.

*An upstart club beat one that had a history of success.

*The odds makers of the day likely took a bath.

*It could be that one of the main reasons for the unexpected outcomes was complacency on the part of the losers.

Shortly after my family moved from Brooklyn to Massapequa Park an election for a seat on the Village Board took place. A young man ran against a long-time incumbent and won by four votes, largely due to the “newbie’s” friends’ voting while the veteran’s supporters thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion and didn’t bother to go to the polls. Again complacency led to defeat, something that’s occurred again and again in the world of politics.

Complacency may be understood as smug satisfaction or false assurance of an outcome. Not only can it adversely affect sports teams and elections but also businesses (notably iconic retailers like A&P and Sears) and churches which exhibit this tendency and refuse to change their methods to meet the needs of the times. Vacant stores and church buildings illustrate this danger.

In the tragic account of Samson’s life his complacent attitude led to his downfall (“…He did not know that the Lord had left him.”—Judges 16:20). Subsequently he was blinded and humiliated by the Philistines but in their smugness they failed to notice that “…the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.” (Judges 16:22). And it cost many their lives when his strength was renewed in response to his prayer (Judges 16:28-30).

God warned His people, “…I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent….” (Zephaniah 1:12). And through the Apostle Paul He cautions, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). How do we avoid falling into this trap set by our archenemy? By heeding Jesus’ words: “…Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, emphasis added) and recognizing that “Our only power and success come from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:5, NLT).

It’s time to put off complacency in our own abilities and put on confidence in God’s strength.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan