CHAPTER 17: THE SAFETY NET OF REDUNDANCY AGAINST COMPLACENCY, A SILENT DEADLY DESTROYER
How many times did your mother need to tell you to knock it off? How many times, as a parent, did you tell your kids to straighten up and fly right? With two parents, one follows up the other on the same direction for kids to behave! That is redundancy. Without it, kids run wild, get hurt, or — grow up without any skills other than wasting time. For all of us it is a constant reminding, directing, practicing, correcting, redirecting, re-reminding, repeat practice, check and re-check. That is what keeps a person in motion on a correct path. Have you ever seen young children bowling? There is a fence put up so that the bowling ball stays on course and doesn’t fall off to the side. That is redundant. If the child fails at throwing the ball, the fence realigns the ball until the child is good enough to fire the ball down the alley correctly. The bible is that fence. A redundant, repeating and rewording of lessons over and over and over, in all manner of challenges and situations. All manner of situations happen to us everyday. Solutions to those situations that are tried and true, with God. The bible is a tool, like good parents, that can and will keep us in line, if we use it. I will also mention of few other redundant systems that have helped me.
Redundancy is a powerful advantage. Sometimes Redundancy is confused with repetitive. They are different. Repetitive is doing the same thing over and over again. Like sin, right? We repeat over and over and hopefully in the mercy of God we overcome ourselves and slowly but surely “get better.” Redundancy is a backup system running at the same time as the main system that helps me stay in line when I get out of whack. In the event the main unit breaks down, the redundant backup system kicks in and saves the day. In the event mom doesn’t get home on time, dad will cover. Well, at least that’s what we hope for. Society at large, it would seem, is breaking down. In an airplane there is more that one system — backup if the primary system fails.
Accounting, we have a book keeper to log our daily balance, a CPA for the final analysis. You, a book keeper and a CPA. Redundant systems that back each other up. Clearly, we must understand a back-up or redundant system better be a good one, authentic, accurate and in good working condition. Redundant systems best not be the “low bidder” or the “cheap” deal! Best be the most honorable and trained professional, hopefully a “believer” as well.
Proverbs 27:17
English Standard Version
17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
I become complacent without backup. Complacency IS catastrophic. Like treading water, eventually you’ll sink. Becoming complacent in the study of scripture will ultimately wreck my life. Becoming complacent in my business, or my relationships, my health, all aspects of the life the Lord has given. I’ve slipped on just such a banana peel. Too busy with all the blessings that God has given me, to read my bible — pray to Him, so busy with what He gave me, that I can’t make time for Him, my health, my relationships, you get the idea. Dumb. All of us do it.
Study is definitely the path to prayer and supplication, meaning realizing who you are and who you are not. What you should be doing and what you should not be doing.
Prioritizing the Lord is Discernment in all things. I am better suited to assess the situation when my program has prayer, study and fellowship as a backup system everyday, all day, any day, today.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),
Let’s check out failed backup systems:
Charge cards for payroll shortfalls: failed system.
Credit to customers without a payment schedule: failed system
Deciding hard money lenders are a good: failed system
Deciding that the bible is outdated: failed system
Stealing corporate money to gamble investments: Failed system.
Deciding it’s not necessary to do a weekly financial report
Deciding there’s no harm in a night on the town
Deciding that one drink is okay to drive
Deciding that drinking is okay
Deciding that gambling is okay
Deciding that shooting your mouth off is okay
Without a good backup system, complacency will prevail. The definition Of Complacency: “A feeling of being satisfied with how things are, and not wanting to try to make them better.”
2 Kings 19:28
English Standard Version
28 Because you have raged against me and your
complacency has come into my ears, I will put my hook
in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will
turn you back on the way by which you came.
That scripture, long story short, when I fall victim to complacency my job and possibly my life is at risk. What is mechanisms for redundancy? Things that have worked for me.
- Time and constant care must be given to any situation for beauty to be realized. The yield of what has been learned, put into practice and successfully completed. Sometimes I call it “age before beauty.” Kind of a spin on an old phrase. I gotta do the time correctly to get the benefit. A little aging in the Lord, so to speak, for the beautiful gifts He’s given me to be used correctly.
- Learn from others — ally with good people, listen to people that do hard things all the time, and succeed. Stay current with ethically sound individuals, realizing we are all challenged by the world, stay with those who fight for a better self in God — every day, all day.
- Pray regularly for Discernment, direction and His will. Pray for specific direction and correct assessment in the challenge set before you each day. Go into the day full combat ready to stand for good things, correct things, Godly things.
Psalm 37:7-9
English Standard Version
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Being around dumb hatches dumb ideas. Keep that in mind.
“Redundancy is a back-up tool, complacency is a choice”
C.S. Lewis, in “The Screwtape Letters”, writes “a moderated religion is as good as no religion at all…” and it seems to coincide with Revelation 3:16 when it talks about being lukewarm in our faith. We have become complacent. Furthermore, sometimes we have even become complacent in the fact that we are complacent! (he goes on to say) We have lost motivation, as well as our sight of what should be the driving force of our lives. Battling our own selfish desires will be one of the most difficult tasks we will ever do, and we will do it for the rest of our lives.
When a good system gives way, and there is not a redundant good system in place, all is at risk. Take a step back and examine. Combat complacency, shore up redundant spiritual systems and alliances. Chapter 17, Redundancy, the safety net against complacency, 2022. Is it that simple. It sounds like it’s simple, but in the doing, not very many people make it.
Matthew 22:14-16
English Standard Version Anglicised
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Strive to grow and achieve in everything so that we may find freedom in Him. Remain in a system that keeps our selfish nature and our complacency at bay.
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13 Amen
