"Turn Up The Radio"

Several years ago, there was popular comic strip which depicted a conversation between two small boys. One of the boys was telling about his dad hearing a strange grinding noise coming from the engine of his car. When asked if his dad stopped to repair it, the little boy replied, "No, he just turned the radio up louder so he couldn't hear it!"

The above story got me to thinking about the fact that we sometimes "repair" a lot of our spiritual problems in similar fashion — just by "turning up the radio." For example, there's a sinner who know what he must do to become a Christian; he realizes that some major spiritual repairs are in order; and yet he lacks the courage to make those repairs. So, he just "turns up the radio" by criticizing the hypocrites in the church or by poking fun at some Bible class teacher or Bible teaching.

But even among those who know less about becoming a Christian, there is often a tendency to tune-out "uncomfortable" spiritual subjects, such as righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. Like Felix, they may "turn up the radio" by appealing to a more "convenient season" (Acts 24:25 KJV). Or like Festus, try to avert the issue by discrediting the teacher of truth (Acts 26:24).

But why have so many folks wanted to suppress the sounds of God's truth? Simply because it is a discomfiting sound that tells them there is something in their lives that needs immediate repair — and especially if it happens to be something that we don't want repaired.

This was the problem with some folks that John wrote about: "men loved darkness rather than light; because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:18-20). Even some professed Christians don't like to hear the truth taught about certain "sensitive" subjects. To them, it becomes as an objectionable "noise" to be muffled in some way — perhaps by heaping to themselves teachers after their own lusts (2 Timothy 4:3). Satan's remedy is to always "turn up the radio"; never to repair the ailing sin-sick soul.

Others know that soul repair means admitting wrong and making changes, but few are willing to do it. Here's where pride says, "turn up the radio." But here's where courage and character say to the Lord's call, "Speak, for Your servant hears" (1 Samuel 3:10). Dear reader, true followers of Christ want the truth — the whole truth — even when it reproves, corrects and convicts! (2 Timothy 3:16-17; cf. John 16:8; Acts 2:37,41).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets