Craig Clouston

 Self-Imposed Ignorance

October 26

Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets.

Luke 11:50

“Did you hear about the Reager boy?” Janet asked but didn’t pause long enough to allow Tom time to answer. “Kali told me he missed school this week because his father beat him, and he doesn’t want anyone to see the marks.”

“Janet, I swear. You listen to too much gossip,” Tom said. “I can’t believe George would lay a hand on his kids.” What he was actually thinking was, I’m not about to get involved in some other family’s affairs. It’s none of our business as far as I’m concerned.

But Janet didn’t let it go. “Tom Sherman! I can’t believe you’d ignore this to keep from getting involved. Shame on you!”

“What proof do you have anyway? Where did Kali hear about it?” he said defensively. “And even if it’s true, what are we supposed to do?” he demanded. “That’s a job for children’s services or the police.”

“If they don’t know about it, they can’t do anything!” Janet said adamantly.

“So why do we have to be the ones to tell them?” he argued.

“Because we’re the ones who know,” she said quietly.

In that final statement, Tom knew she was right and decided that to do nothing was to allow it to continue. He picked up the phone and dialed children’s services.

†

Self-imposed ignorance is a form of denial. If denial lasts long enough, great tragedy will occur.

In the 1940s, the Germans heard rumors of evil being committed in their midst, yet they refused to investigate for themselves in order to remain ignorant and therefore not responsible to take action. At the end of the war, Allied troops marched German citizens through concentration camps and also forced them to look upon mass graves in hopes that they would never again allow ignorance to perpetuate evil.

In today’s text, God assigned blame for the blood of the prophets on those who turned a blind eye to brutality and murder.

Self-imposed ignorance is no excuse. We are responsible for the knowledge we possess, and we can only claim ignorance once. Once enlightened, we have a responsibility to take action.

Prayer

“Lord, cause me to do what is right when I become aware of wrong. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”