To all the walls of the world, you are recognized and known intimately to those that walk the path called straight, for how you seek so arduously to stymie the zeal of all Christ-followers.  But we as Christ-followers, let us say to the walls of the world, we are on to your tactics and will not be stopped.  We know who those walls are too.  They are the people of the world that Jesus called us to minister to in order that their walls may come down and they may become friends of God like us. However, I don’t want to talk about the walls.  Instead let us ponder for a time, the brick throwers because they are the vilest; more vile than the walls themselves.

There are people within the ranks of Christian warriors that look like us, talk like us but are carrying an arsenal of bricks to lay waste any Christian who would seek continually to do what is good in the eyes of God.  Why is this?  I can only say that for them to do such things, that the darkest regions of hell are too good for them.

“They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.  But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey–an animal without speech–who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.  These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm.  Blackest darkness is reserved for them. … If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.  It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.  Of them the proverbs are true:  ’A dog returns to its vomit,’ and, ‘A saw that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.’”  (2 Peter 2:15-17, 20-22)

But what do I mean by brick throwers?  The brick throwers are people who openly claim Christ but hold onto their sin to fondle it in secret, and would go so far as to entice weaker brothers and sisters in the faith who are still feeding on the spiritual milk.  How abominable and deceitful!  I have been approached by one such brick thrower, and ever did he throw it hard at my loins to cause me to keel over in such pain, that I almost wanted to hurt him back.  But were it not for Christ who is in me, I only rebounded to sharply question him for why he did it and his answer was cold despite his candid reply.  He said, “I really don’t know.”  I was simultaneously befuddled and astonished at his reply.  He simply did not know why he would entice me to stumble with him in his stronghold, all the while knowing the truth.

Itching ears is all that can be said.  Itching ears dragged him away from the faith a long time ago, even as he physically stands in houses of worship among the faithful declaring the word of the Lord as the people “Amen” and “Hallelujuah” in a sporadic chorus fashion.  But I am filled with anguish, praying for this man, and also filled with pity.  It is sad you know.  To say that the lost are outside the Christian bubble might have meant something definitively in the past.  But today what is inside the body of Christ looks like the world of raging, groaning and moaning seas.  This must change.

“Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions?  If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.  The people said nothing.”  (1 Kings 18:21)

Lo! The hosts of evil round us

Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways!

Fears and doubts too long have bound us,

Free our hearts to work and praise.

Grant us wisdom,

Grant us courage,

For the living of these days!  Amen.

-Harry Emerson Fosdick